Similar to exercise and a nutritional diet, sleep is pivotal in achieving an overall healthy lifestyle, whilst benefiting your mental wellbeing. The advised amount of sleep we are recommended each night is seven to nine hours for adults.
Sleeping rejuvenates the body, repairing processes that affect the body as a whole. There are many benefits to getting the appropriate amount of sleep each night.
Improves your mood and concentration
The amount of sleep we have each night can increase or decrease our energy. If you are well rested your energy will be heightened which can improve your mood and make a positive impact on your mental wellbeing.
Alongside this, concentration and productivity are heavily affected by your sleeping pattern. A study carried out on physicians in December 2020 reported that those individuals who had not achieved the correct amount of sleep were more likely to carry out medical errors than those who did not have sleep related problems. The report also described lack of sleep as an attribute to burn out.
However, getting a good amount of sleep can improve performance. A study carried out in 2015 showed that nightly sleep quality can affect children’s cognitive performance in school and daily life.
Healthy heart and blood sugar levels
During sleep your heart rate is decreased which in turn decreases your blood pressure. This is beneficial for your heart and can have a significant effect on decreasing your risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the center for disease control and prevention.
Sleep affects how your body reacts to insulin. Deficiency in sleep can result in higher than normal blood sugar levels, which may increase your risk of diabetes, as reported by the national heart and lung blood institute.
Getting the correct amount of sleep can have significant value on your health and can even increase your immune system’s ability to fight disease and infection.
Tips for better sleep
- Create a sleep schedule
- Make a quality environment in preparation for sleep
- Avoid caffeine and screens before bed
- Exercise throughout the day
- Practice meditation and relaxation techniques before sleep
