According to the National Sleep Foundation, healthy adults should get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep. People above 65 years should get no less than 7 hours every night while babies and teenagers should sleep more.1 This aids in their growth and development. There are many sleep health benefits.
It’s so easy to go about with everyday life that you forget to catch a good night’s sleep. However, the importance of sleep as you age cannot be underrated. It’s essential for your overall health. New health modalities like cryotherapy and body sculpting can help the body recover and get good sleep. Here are some benefits of good sleep.
Top 5 Sleep Health Benefits as You Grow Older
Modern culture has disregarded the importance of sleep, and it is very alarming. A study revealed that almost 40% of Americans sleep for less than 6 hours.2 Even more worrying is the fact that the quality of sleep has also decreased.
Here are the top 5 benefits of good sleep quality.
Good Sleep Enhances Productivity
The relationship between sleep and productivity is like a vicious cycle. If you get more sleep, you’re able to do more work. This is because you become more alert and focused. This amount of productivity gets you feeling better about yourself. You then go to bed happy and content, ultimately improving your sleep quality.
The main elements of achieving optimal productivity include decision-making, alertness, and memory. If you do not sleep enough, your level of concentration will reduce, and you’ll find it difficult to pay attention. This will then impair your ability to perform tasks, especially those that require complex thought and logical reasoning.
Sufficient Sleep Reduces Depression
Poor sleep quality is a key factor in mental health issues such as depression. In fact, some studies show that over 90% of people who go through depression have a hard time falling asleep.3
You may not easily acknowledge it, but after a good night’s sleep, your moods go high. In addition, you feel happier, life seems brighter, and you feel optimistic.
You also have an upbeat view of life and have more energy. This is because you’ve given your body and mind time to rest. Deep sleep is also a natural anxiety reliever and rids you of mental exhaustion.
Sleep Improves Your Memory
Good sleep quality is important in memory consolidation. When you’re asleep, your brain is still active. It uses this time to process what happened during the day and create connections between various events.
Sleeping also helps you turn new information into memories, helping you retain information for longer. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, reduces your ability to focus. This reduces your learning capabilities and, ultimately, your brain’s ability to create links and process new information.
Good Sleep Strengthens Your Immune System
Your body does a good job of taking care of you. Sleeping should be your way of appreciating it. When you’re asleep, your activity levels are greatly reduced. This gives your body enough time to repair the damage it sustained during the day.
This includes mental and physical stress, exposure to ultraviolet rays, injuries, and other types of harmful exposure. Your body cells produce protein molecules when you’re asleep. These molecules act as the cell’s building blocks and allow your body to heal itself.
Other benefits of good sleep include:
- Reduced body inflammation.
- Good sleep may help you lose weight by reducing your calorie intake.
- Quality sleep enhances your athletic abilities.
- Sufficient sleep enhances your social and emotional intelligence.
Sleep Deprivation Affects Sleep Health Benefits
Sleep deprivation increases your risk of high blood pressure and heart diseases. By getting enough sleep, you give your blood pressure time to regulate itself. This also enhances your overall health.
Low sleep quality and duration reduce your blood sugar levels. This is not only dangerous for diabetic people but can also increase your chances of getting diabetes. Sleep deprivation has also been linked to stroke.
Get Enough Rest and Enjoy These Sleep Health Benefits
Your quality of life is highly dependent on how much you sleep. If you get enough sleep, your autoimmune functions go up. This is because the body is well-rested, cell production is optimal, and it has time to heal itself. If you are having trouble getting some good sleep, you might consider trying cryotherapy or body sculpting for recovery and good sleep.
Good sleep quality contributes to high productivity, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, optimal mental health, among many other benefits.
Links to Sources Used
- How Much Sleep Do I Need? – https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html
- America The Sleep-Deprived – https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilhowe/2017/08/18/america-the-sleep-deprived/?sh=434f99df1a38
- Sleep and depression – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16259539/
