If you have a healthy diet full of nutritious components and exercise regularly but still feel like something isn’t right, then you are probably neglecting your sleep. The quantity and quality of sleep you get have an impact on the overall functioning of the body. This article notes the pros and significance of getting a good night’s rest and the problems you may encounter with sleep deprivation.
Defining sleep and highlighting its importance
Sleep is an altered condition of consciousness where you have restricted interactions with the surroundings. Sleep is when your body relaxes and heals from the day’s work while restoring energy for the next day. There are two significant stages of sleep, the first is the non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, and the second is the REM sleep. There is a rotation of non-REM and REM sleep which makes up your entire sleep. With a night of proper sleep, you will likely experience 4 or 5 cycles.
At night your body gets rid of the toxins accumulated during the day, which influences your capacity to recover physically and mentally from the day’s work.
Sleep and mental health are also intertwined. With a night of sound sleep, you would wake up feeling refreshed and not irritated, and you would look forward to the rest of the day and not drag yourself throughout the day. Sleep is vital to every process in the body.
Problems caused due to sleep deprivation-
There are long-term and short-term difficulties associated with lack of sleep.
Short-term problems include lack of alertness, excessive daytime sleep, impaired memory, impact on relationships, pervasive mood swings, etc.
The long-term problems are high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure or stroke, obesity, depression, and most importantly, a reduced immune system function and a shorter life span.
Either short or long-term problems, in some cases, can be life-threatening. In case of lack of alertness, you could potentially cause or be a part of an unwanted car/road accident, while if you have depression or obesity, you are likely facing health issues that, in unfortunate circumstances, can lead to thoughts of self-harm.
Five reasons why good sleep is important for health
1- Helps keep illness away
Various studies have shown that sleeping for fewer hours than required results in a 13 percent increased risk of contracting fatal heart disease. Your body gets rid of the toxins while you are asleep, which helps the immune system recover and function better the next day.
2- Promotes better mental and emotional health
The symptoms of inadequate sleep are irritation, forgetfulness, fatigue, and mood swings. These can easily result in undesirable circumstances at work or in a relationship. With a better night’s rest, your emotional health would be better.
3- Improved physical health
Getting the required amount of sleep would decrease the chances of getting health issues from inflammation in the body to getting a severe heart disease. With an appropriate amount of rest, your body recovers from previous physical injuries on/in the body resulting in improved physical health.
4- Increased productivity
Proper sleep stimulates brain function, which is vital for your brain to work optimally. If your brain thinks you haven’t got enough rest, it will send signals to your body telling it that it’s tired, resulting in decreased productivity. Studies have shown that proper rest refreshes the brain and improves productivity.
5- Keeps weight in control
Some research explains that if a person is well-rested, they feel less hungry; it doesn’t mean they have a slow appetite or don’t consume the required amount of food to regulate; instead, it means there is no over-eating at random hours like cravings for eating junk food or a mid-night snack.
Sleep disorders
Certain sleeping disorders make it difficult to get sleep at night. In the case of insomnia, it is tough to fall asleep and then later stay asleep. In other instances, certain medications cause you to stay awake at odd hours, or anxiety or overthinking that keeps you awake can harm your health physically and mentally.
Sleep medications
Certain medications are used to initiate sleep and, in certain severe cases, help you stay asleep. Doctors usually prescribe medicines like Ambien and Zolpidem for patients with insomnia.
These medications work as a sedative that helps your body and brain relax, resulting in sleep initiation. However, sleep medications have a high chance of misuse or abuse, so it would be best to use them in moderation as your doctor prescribes; you can also buy sleeping pills online.
Conclusion
As unrecognized as the importance of sleep is in today’s time, it is essential to acknowledge the difference it causes and the impact it will have on a person’s daily life.
Good sleep influences your mood and promotes growth. It impacts your life, from how you think to how you interact with others.
Irregular or incomplete sleep and sleep deprivation have been associated with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, decreased mental capacity, and poor motor coordination.
It is said that taking precautions is better than a cure. Setting a proper sleep schedule and living a longer, healthier life would be best.