Slumber and Health – connecting dots

WHY IS A SOUND SLEEP NEEDED?

To restore, rejuvenate, grow muscles, synthesize hormones, and repair tissues, the human body demands a sound slumber during which, one can be relaxed and would be stress-free, so that he/she can focus on things next day. “Sleep is a basic human need and is essential for good health, good quality of life and performing well during the day,” says World Health Organization. The deprivation of sleep leads to chronic insomnia which can affect our physical and mental health adversely. Not taking an adequate amount of sleep has numerous negative effects which include both, short term, as well as long term. Some of the long term effects include a rise in stress hormones, high blood pressure, other cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, weak immune system, reduced efficiency, fatigue, and many others to keep the list going. A good sleep is followed by a good lifestyle.

1. GOOD SLEEP INCREASES EFFICIENCY: Sleep loss reduces your ability to focus and pay attention. If we will have a good sleep then it will increase our ability to focus on more things and would help to be relaxed. Good sleep makes a person’s mind sharper as it makes a person relaxed so he can grab more and focus more. A sharper brain means a good memory. You can remember and recall things better. So, sleep well so that you should be able to focus a lot. A person who takes a good sleep is more efficient at work than others.
2. GOOD SLEEP = HAPPINESS: Sleep loss raises your stress hormones which may increase your anxiety and anger level. Even if you work hard full day and take a night of good sleep at night, you can start a new day with zero stress level. Sleep loss negatively affects your mood. The person who sleeps well is happy all day. Continuous loss of sleep can lead to depression and panic disorders.
3. GOOD SLEEP KEEP YOU HEALTHY: Sleep loss makes your blood sugar spike. Good sleep is very crucial for regulating the insulin hormone that regulates the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood. When you don’t get enough sleep, there is a high insulin release due to which blood glucose levels spike. When there is a high level of glucose in your blood, there is a higher risk of developing type-II diabetes. Diabetes or high blood sugar level can have serious consequences on health and can even result in death if left untreated. While you sleep, you give a rest to your blood vessels as the blood pressure goes down during resting hours. Less sleep leads to higher blood pressure for long hours which can lead to heart diseases including stroke.
4. GOOD SLEEP MAKES YOU GROW: Sleep loss makes you store more fat which also messes up the balance of hormones that control hunger. It also affects your digestive system a lot. The fact is our body grows when we sleep, and if we won’t sleep there will be obviously no growth of hormones exceptionally there will be an excessive growth of your fat nothing else because the food you eat won’t get absorbed in the body cells.
5. GOOD SLEEP KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM DISEASES: Sleep loss makes it easier to get sick which reduces one’s immunity. Slumber is very much important for the optimal functioning of your immune system. While you sleep, your body works hard to create some crucial immune cells and antibodies that fight against diseases and other harmful micro-bodies. When you’re sick, sleeping also helps to increase the strength and activity of that same disease-fighting cells so that you can get rid of infections faster. Sleep loss not only makes your immune system weaker, but also decreases your ability to fight off illness. This means you are more likely to get sick and stay ill for longer.
6. ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT: numerous sports, especially endurance sports like swimming, running, and biking demand the player to get a good night’s sleep. For an athlete, loss of sleep implies robbing of energy and time for muscle repair. It also sucks motivation. A good sleep makes mental and physical challenges easier. It also fastens up the reaction time.

People should know how important slumber is in day to day life and there should also be an adequate amount is necessary. You never know how important it is to get an adequate amount of sleep daily, whether it is a toddler, a teenager, an adult, or some senior citizen. There are innumerable benefits of a good sleep, which cannot be ignored. Slumber is not an option, but a necessity. Sleep needs vary according to age and working hours. But, according to researches, an average adult human should get approximately 7- 8 hours of sleep a day to get the precious benefits of a sound sleep. Refreshing slumber is like a reset button for the next day. It improves your outlook on life and prepares you to meet bigger challenges in the future.

Tap to know the tips to be followed before going to bed.