According to an article at Netdoctor.co.uk, the following eight benefits can all be achieved with a good night’s sleep:
Why you should sleep for eight hours
- Improved mood: it’s no secret that lack of sleep can make you cranky, and it can also contribute to the onset of depression in some people, so it makes sense that getting a full night’s sleep will help you wake up feeling more positive and upbeat.
- Weight loss: lack of sleep can increase levels of a hormone called ghrelin, which leads to hunger. Not only that, but a poor night’s sleep can interfere with our ability to stick to diet plans. As a result, lack of sleep can reduce fat loss by more than half.
- Better immune function: not getting enough sleep can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to infections such as colds and ‘flu’.
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease: research shows that people who regularly get less than six hours sleep per night are at an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
- Improved relationships: insomnia can be detrimental to your relationship, due to its impact on your mood, sleeping arrangements and partner’s sleep.
- Improvements at work: not only does being tired make our brains sluggish, but sleep also helps us to process information (hence the phrase ‘sleep on it’), so not getting a good night’s sleep can affect our performance at work.
- Increased energy levels: it goes almost without saying that getting a good night’s sleep will increase your energy levels, not only through getting adequate rest, but also from the boost to your mood and motivation, leading you to become naturally more active during the day.
- Better performance at school: kids who get a good night’s sleep have been shown to perform better at school.
So, make your bedroom a haven, avoid caffeine in the evenings, wind down with a bath and/or a good book, and get some rest!
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