The importance of a Good Night’s Sleep
A good night’s sleep is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when people think about health, but it’s actually proven to help peoples’ mental and physical well being immensely. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and The Sleep Research Society share that adults should typically be sleeping a minimum of seven hours a night in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Sleep can help you to be more focused and active during the day, get sick less often and it can even help you to be more positive and calm. When you don’t allow yourself to get enough sleep, you increase your risk of developing chronic conditions, mental distress and heart disease.
Mood Booster
Do you ever notice how after a night of not getting enough sleep you tend to feel more moody or cranky? This is because getting enough sleep affects your mental health and helps allow your brain to rest as well. Studies actually show that if you struggle with a healthy sleep pattern consistently, this increases your risk of anxiety or depression. Your brain actually processes emotions while you're asleep, which helps you to deal with them in a clearer state of mind.
Now think about how you feel after a good night of sleep. Chances are you feel refreshed and renewed, as if someone set a reset button for you or you wake up feeling fully charged. A good night’s sleep can also help you to maintain a positive mindset. A full seven or eight hours of rest allows your brain to organize your thoughts and process the events that all take place in your life when you’re awake. This leads to positive improvements in your mood, emotions and state of mind.
Good for the Brain
Similarly to how sleep is beneficial toward your perception and emotions, the brain also benefits from a good night’s rest. Both scientists and researchers have proven that good quality slumber reduces mental fatigue and improves memory recall. Sleeping allows your brain to maintain normal functioning and process information. Resting is restoring energy, and a good night’s sleep is essential for your brain to be able to freshen your thoughts and renew the energy your brain uses throughout the hours you’re awake.
It may be shocking to hear that your brain is actually staying active while you’re asleep, but this is actually why we sometimes dream when we sleep. Our brainwaves are active and dreaming actually helps to regulate emotions. Dreaming can also help analyze past experiences or situations and ‘prepare’ your brain for upcoming experiences. Think about if you’ve ever dreamed of a fear you’ve had or an embarrassing moment. Your brain creates situations where within your dream, you figure out how to handle that challenge.
After a night where you got only a few hours of sleep, do you ever feel like it’s harder for you to process information? You may feel like you are being slower to respond than normal or you’re having trouble focusing on tasks at hand. This is because your brain doesn't have enough time to form or maintain its pathways while you’re asleep. Next time you have a big test coming up or an important presentation at work, strive to prioritize sleep beforehand, so your brain can feel refreshed and ready to go.
Physical Health
Sleep allows your body to fully rest and relax. While sleeping, your muscles have time to relax, your heart rate and blood pressure have time to balance and your body restores energy. Think about the period of time where you know you’re about to fall asleep. You can usually hear your breath, and maybe you focus on it or count your breaths in order to help you fall asleep. This consistency is extremely important for both your physical and mental health. Controlling your breath helps you resist your fight-or-flight mode and is proven to be a good relaxation technique for reducing stress. The breathing patterns that usually occur in your slumber signal to your brain that it’s time to relax, therefore helping your body regain its energy and strength. A healthy amount of shut-eye each night strengthens your immune system as well, allowing your body time to fight viruses.
Overall, sleep is crucial for many factors in your life, including your mood, brain and bodily functions. Next time you’re considering whether or not you want to try to go to bed early, consider all of the benefits that could come with your good night of rest!
By Virginia Shea