We need an average of 8 hours of sleep a night for us to recharge our batteries and remain healthy. Many people have no issue with sleep and will drift off as soon as their head hits the pillow. Others, however, struggle with sleep and find themselves awake until the early hours of the morning often waking up early. Sleep is important for many reasons and finding a way of ensuring you get the required amount is essential not only for physical health but mental health also. If you’re stuck in a routine that doesn’t favor a healthy sleep pattern, then it’s time to have a look at what you can do to turn it around. But why is sleep so important?
It’s Linked to Weight Gain
Those that struggle with their sleep and have short sleep duration are at a higher risk of gaining weight than those that get an adequate amount of sleep per night. In fact, the risk is significantly higher, it’s one of the strongest risk factors linking to obesity. In one study it was found that adults were 89% more likely to develop obesity and children were 55% more likely. This is because the effect of sleep on weight gain is linked to numerous factors including motivation to exercise and individuals hormones. If you’re trying to lose weight, then a good sleep cycle is imperative for decent results.
Getting the right amount of sleep at night will help your body reset and allow its natural hormones to do their job. It will also give you the energy to exercise during the day. What you sleep on is a significant factor in how you’re sleeping. If you’re on a mattress that is hard and uncomfortable, then you’re going to struggle to get to sleep and fall into the deeper stages of sleep. The sleep experts at iSense explain that the best night’s sleep will come if you’re the most comfortable you can be. Investing in a mattress that can change as your preferences change will allow you to continue getting the best night’s sleep possible. Stop sleeping on poor quality and start loving your mattress.
Improve Concentration & Productivity
Getting a good amount of sleep per night is important for the various aspects of your brain’s functions. This includes concentration, productivity, cognition, and performance. These are all negatively affected by poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation.
An in-depth study of medical interns showed some interesting results. Those with a traditional schedule that included extended work hours of more than 24 hours made 36% more serious errors than those that had a schedule that allowed more sleep. Another study showed that low amounts of sleep can impact the brain in the same way alcohol does when we are intoxicated. On the plus side, those that enjoy decent sleep at night have the potential of improving their problem-solving skills and enhancing their memory performance.
Decreased Risk Of Heart Disease & Strokes
Sleep quality and the duration of your sleep is linked with having major effects on several different health factors. These factors are those that are believed to be linked with driving chronic diseases including heart disease. A recent study found that those people not getting enough sleep are at a much higher risk of getting heart disease or suffering from a stroke. 7-8 hours a night is the optimal level to reduce this risk greatly.
Poor Sleep Is Linked With Depression
If there’s one thing that is constantly connected with depression, it’s sleep deprivation. Those struggling with depression will almost always struggle with their sleep. And those not sleeping might find themselves falling into depression. This is why mental health issues have such a strong link to poor sleep quality and sleeping disorders. In fact, 90% of those suffering from depression will complain about their sleep quality.
Unfortunately, poor sleep is even associated with an increased risk of feeling suicidal. Something no one wants to experience. Sleeping disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea are also linked significantly higher with depression.
Getting your head down at night and falling asleep quickly is no easy thing for a large percentage of the population. There are many different ways to combat this, including medication, meditation, and a good routine. Finding the right solution for you can be more difficult than initially thought, but it’s worth sticking at for a while. There are so many reasons why we need decent sleep quality, so investing some time and some money into it is going to be more than advantageous. It might even save your quality of life.
