Sleep is an essential component of your physical and mental health. The current recommendation is that you sleep between seven and nine hours per night, but for various reasons, there are many who consistently sleep fewer hours. If this sounds like you, then read on for six reasons why you need to start prioritising your sleep.
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It helps control your weight
It has been shown that people who consistently sleep less than seven hours per night are at greater risk of gaining weight, being obese and having a higher body fat percentage than people who sleep for more than seven hours. A lack of sleep can lead to increased calorie intake from snacks and fatty foods, as the body works to create more energy. Fatigue also contributes to poor judgement, which can alter our dietary choices. And just like weight loss, there are things that can aid in quality sleep.
It lowers the risk of diabetes and heart disease
Having rest deficit for extended periods of time pushes the blood pressure higher, which is associated with a high risk of stroke and heart attack. It has also been shown that insufficient sleep for the long term can increase certain mechanisms in the body that lead to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
It helps develop the right hormonal balance
A sleep deficit can have an impact on growth in children and adolescents. It may also affect a man’s fertility, as men who don’t get the right amount of quality sleep each night have a significantly lower sperm count than those who do. Deep REM sleep is absolutely crucial for both mental and physical health, and there are some ways you can encourage this quality sleep – such as making sure your room is at a comfortable temperature (usually between 60F and 75F).
It can keep you alert, reducing the risk of accidents on the road
There is a direct correlation between the amount of sleep a person gets and the likelihood of them being involved in a car accident. In fact, if you drive a car and have had less than five hours’ rest, the likelihood of being involved in an accident is four to five times higher (and this increases exponentially if you have even fewer than five hours of sleep).
It can boost your sports performance
If sports or exercise are important to you, you may be interested to know that insufficient rest decreases your athletic performance. Athletes with a sleep deficit have demonstrated a lack of energy, slower recovery from workouts, a weaker immune system, increased vulnerability to injury and a lack of focus during competition. Sleep deficit can also lower the production of glycogen, which is the energy store used for exercise. In short, your performance in workouts or sports will suffer if you aren’t getting enough sleep. If you feel that getting enough sleep isn’t helping with your energy levels, you could need help from a supplement such as gelato terpenes to help perk you up. There is a lot of research out there to suggest that terpenes can have sedative and anti-anxiety effects and therefore if you are living with insomnia, terpenes could help you to relax and unwind.
Insufficient sleep shortens your life expectancy
Sleeping less than seven hours per night increases mortality by an amount that is far from insignificant. Take note, however, that sleeping too long (commonly thought of as more than nine hours per night) can also increase the risk of mortality, as well as a chronic illness.
As you can see, there are many reasons why you should be making an effort to get the right amount of sleep. It certainly shouldn’t be a mere afterthought, where you just get the bare minimum of rest to be able to function. If you are doing this, you could be doing severe damage to your physical and mental health in the long term. Make the effort to incorporate a sleeping period of seven to nine hours into your routine, and if you struggle to sleep well then take steps to promote quality rest so you can reap the benefits and avoid the risks.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure that you check out some of my other posts to help you discover your best health-