There’s good news for the world’s nappers. Numerous studies show that natural sleep patterns and high-quality sleep is just as important for your health as diet and exercise. Fitness experts encourage you to think of fitness as a three-legged stool: Diet, exercise, and sleep. Eliminate one and the stool won’t stand up. Here are six important ways that a good nights’ sleep improves your physical and mental health and boosts your general well-being.
It Can Help You Lose Weight
Believe it or not, sleep can help you keep the weight off. Short sleep duration is one of the major reasons for obesity. Sleep and weight gain are linked because sleep deprivation causes fluctuations in the hormones that regulate your appetite. Poor sleep leads to a spike in ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates appetite while simultaneously reducing leptin which suppresses the appetite.
It Improves Concentration And Productivity
Your brain needs sleep to be able to function at its full capacity. You don’t need science to tell you that poor sleep directly affects cognitive function and brain performance. Studies have shown that poor sleep impairs brain function almost to the same degree as being intoxicated. Getting in a full 8 hours will improve memory and give you razor-sharp problem-solving skills.
It Gives You A Better Workout
Good sleep is known to give any athletic performances a huge advantage by improving speed, accuracy, and reflexes. Your body feels more equipped to function at capacity when it is fully rested.
It Can Help Manage Mental Health
Mental health conditions like depression are connected to poor quality sleep and often present alongside other sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea or insomnia. Studies suggest that the risk of suicidal tendencies increases significantly when people are sleep deprived.
It Helps Improve Immunity
Do you get colds very frequently or take a long time to get over a cold? You could be suffering from sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep. Sleep is directly connected to the body’s immune function or the ability of the body to fight off the common cold and other such viral infections.
It helps you become more socially and emotionally aware: A good night’s sleep will ensure that you recognize faces and remember names a lot quicker. You will be better at reading emotional and social cues from others around you too.