Sleeping for a little longer each night can have huge benefits on your health and wellbeing. Many of us understandably have been struggling to sleep with all the extra added stresses that the pandemic has brought. However, going to bed a little earlier each night can really help to reduce these stresses. Here are a few ways in which getting a little more sleep each night can help you out.
Firstly, sleep can help to reduce stress and the more sleep you get in a night, the better. Stress hormones elevate when you do not get enough sleep in a night. This can be prevented by having regular, longer and deeper sleeps. Additionally, this lack of stress will reduce inflammation of the cardiovascular system in your body. This will reduce your chances of getting any unwanted heart conditions.
Secondly, sleep can help to lower your blood pressure. Having high blood pressure is dangerous as it can increase your likelihood of getting strokes and heart attacks. A peaceful sleep will help you to get into a state of relaxation. This will lower and control your blood pressure.
Thirdly, your memory can be improved by sleeping for longer. When you are lethargic, you can struggle to remember facts and things about your life. You can also struggle to recall recent past events. This your brain saying that you aren’t getting enough sleep. Getting a good quality sleep will give your brain some down time, not just your body.
Protein molecules are produced when you sleep for longer periods of time which help to fight infection. Get lots of rest if you are feeling run-down. It can help prevent those horrible winter colds.
Sleep produces other hormones that influence your appetite. They reduce your cravings for food and help keep your weight under control. Lack of sleep makes you want to eat high-calory foods which will make you gain unnecessary weight.
In relation to health again, getting the right amount of sleep can prevent you from getting type 2 diabetes as sleep determines how much glucose is processed in your body.
Any pain you are experiencing can be reduced by getting enough sleep. Studies have shown that people who experience sleep loss have a lower pain threshold. In essence, this means that the longer you sleep for, the less pain you will be in when you wake up.
Finally, sleep can put you in a more positive mood by making you more controlled, calmer and think more clearly. Sleeping will prevent you from being irritable due to lack of sleep and can even make you more intelligent. This is because your brain will become more productive and effective if it has had a rest.