The Importance of Sleep to Your Health

A woman sleeping in a white bed.

A good night’s sleep will help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to face the day. However, sleep is necessary for so much more. It can impact your health in many ways.

  • Restful sleep helps you have more mental clarity. You can think better and come up with answers faster.
  • Lack of sleep contributes to obesity. Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight. They don’t feel like exercising and may move slower through the day.
  • Lack of sleep increases the risk of stroke and heart disease.
  • Lack of sleep increases the appetite. It increases the hormone that makes you feel hungry while decreasing the hormone that allows you to feel full.
  • Sleep helps your immune system stay strong and fight off infections.
  • A good night of sleep improves your emotional state. Lack of sleep can cause or enhance depression and anxiety.
  • A person is less productive when they don’t get enough sleep. They can’t complete tasks as quickly and may make more mistakes because they aren’t alert.
  • Sleep loss increases safety risk. You are more likely to get hurt because you aren’t paying attention. For instance, your chances of getting in a car accident goes up when you didn’t get enough sleep.

Many people don’t realize they haven’t gotten enough sleep. They may have been in bed for 7 or 8 hours, but still not gotten quality sleep. Some people require more sleep than others or they may suffer from interrupted sleep.

Regular exercise, eating the right foods at the right time and a massage are all ways that can help improve the amount and quality of sleep you get. Sleep well at night, and you will see the benefits all day long.