Getting a good night of sleep is extremely important for your overall health. In fact, it is just as important as exercising and eating a healthy diet.
Today, people are sleeping much less than they did in the past years, resulting in reduced sleep quality. If you are looking for ways to improve the amount of sleep you get, then it may be a good idea to use the services of a sleep coach.
In the meantime, getting to know the benefits of good sleep can provide the motivation needed to take action. Keep reading to learn why sleep is so important and how it can affect your health here.
1. Avoid Weight Gain
Did you know that poor sleep has a strong link to weight gain?
People who have shorter sleep duration typically weigh much more than those who don’t get enough sleep. In fact, studies have shown that sleep duration is one of the main risk factors linked to obesity.
The actual effect of sleep on weight gain is thought to be mediated by several factors, including the motivation to exercise and hormones. If you are trying to lose weight, then it is absolutely crucial that you get enough sleep.
2. Consume Fewer Calories
There are some studies that have shown that if a person is sleep-deprived, then they also have a bigger appetite and they have a tendency to eat a larger number of calories.
When sleep deprivation is a factor, it disrupts the day-to-day fluctuations in your appetite hormones. It is also believed that this can result in improper appetite regulation.
Over time, this can lead to much higher levels of the hormone ghrelin. This is the hormone responsible for stimulating your appetite and reducing overall levels of leptin, which is responsible for suppressing your appetite.
3. Improve Productivity and Concentration
Sleep is crucial when it comes to brain function. This includes a wide array of factors, including performance, productivity, concentration, and cognition. Each of these things is affected in a negative manner if you are sleep deprived.
When you receive adequate sleep, you may actually see an improvement in your problem-solving skills, and it may help to enhance the memory performance for both adults and children.
4. Reduce the Risk of Stroke and Heart Disease
Sleep duration and quality can have a significant effect on several health risk factors. It is these factors that are believed to enhance the risk of chronic disease development. This includes heart disease.
According to 15 studies, it was discovered that individuals who did not get adequate sleep were at a much higher risk of stroke and heart disease than individuals who slept for seven to eight hours each night.
5. Reduce the Development of Depression
There are a number of mental issues, including depression, that are directly linked to improper sleep quality and all types of sleeping disorders. In fact, it is estimated that up to 90 percent of people who suffer from depression also complain about the quality of their sleep.
There have been studies that have also linked poor sleep with an increased risk of death due to suicide. Individuals with serious sleeping conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia have reported much higher rates of issues like depression, than individuals who don’t have these issues.
As you can see, sleep is absolutely essential to your overall health and well-being. Be sure you get enough sleep every night to achieve optimum health. Doing so will help restore your mind, body, and spirit and help you achieve better health.
