Thousands of people observe National Sleep Awareness Week during the beginning of daylight savings time, and we understand why – losing an hour of sleep is no fun for anyone!
We cannot stress how important sleep is for your physical and mental health, so we’re sharing the reasons why sleep is so important to being healthy and we’re sharing tips on how to get good sleep. Happy reading!
What are the benefits of getting good sleep?
It is easy to forget the importance of sleep since the activity is natural and is often seen as a passive yet relaxing activity. Although passive, there are several benefits to getting sufficient rest, including increasing productivity and exercise performance and improving memory and retention.
According to Health.gov, the benefits of getting good sleep include:
- Getting sick less often/boosting the immune system
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Lowering the risk of health problems such as diabetes and heart disease
- Reducing stress
- Improving mood
- Improving human interaction
- Being able to make clear decisions
What are the effects of not getting enough sleep?
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of getting good sleep, it’s time to discuss what happens to the body when it becomes sleep deprived.
Sleep deprivation can negatively affect your mental health and emotional state, which may cause you to feel more impatient or prone to mood swings. A lack of sleep can cause stress, which can also affect how you work out and maintain a consistent workout schedule.
Sound decision-making processes and creativity can also be impacted, and if sleep deprivation continues long enough, one may even experience hallucinations. Other psychological risks include anxiety, depression, paranoia, impulsive behavior, suicidal thoughts, and more.
Sleep deficiency, a broader concept of sleep deprivation, is associated with many chronic health problems such as heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Sleep deficiency is linked to a higher chance of falls and broken bones in older adults and is also linked to a higher chance of injury as an adult, teen, or child. For instance, sleepiness while driving (with no alcohol involved) is responsible for many car crash injuries and deaths.
As stated by an article on healthline.com, some effects of not getting enough sleep are:
- Poor balance
- Risk of diabetes and heart disease
- Low sex drive
- High blood pressure
- Weakened immune system
Secrets to getting good sleep
Knowing how to get good sleep is essential to avoid the health risks of not giving your body enough time to get the rest it needs. According to cdc.gov, mayoclinic.org, and healthline.com, here are tips and natural supplements that induce a good night’s rest:
- Be consistent: Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends.
- Set the Atmosphere: Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature.
- Purge the Electronics: Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smartphones, from the bedroom. You can listen to relaxing music.
- No after-hours food: Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime.
- Exercise: Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night. You should also limit daytime naps.
- Relax: Take a relaxing bath or shower before bed.
- Managing worries: Try to worry less and focus on what you can control.
- Lighting Matters: Increase bright light exposure during the day and reduce blue light exposure during the evening
- Use supplements and natural sleep aids: Try melatonin, ginkgo biloba, glycine, valerian root, magnesium, l-theanine, and lavender.
When your body tells you it needs rest, listen to your body. Rest and recovery are vital to your physical and mental well-being, and rest is a tool to assist you in performing better in life in every way, so go to sleep!
