Sleep

on November 21, 2022

Let’s talk about sleep. It’s your friend and we all seem to struggle to get enough of it as busy adults with many important things to do… so let’s break down what sleep does for you. Disclaimer: we are not doctors or sleep experts, but we are referencing articles from WebMD and MayoClinic, because they were written by people who are. 🙂

HOW IT HELPS YOUR BODY

Gives your heart a break – while you sleep, your blood pressure goes down, giving your heart and blood vessels a bit of a rest.
- The less sleep you get, the longer your blood pressure stays up during a 24-hour cycle. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, including stroke.
You perform better – if your sport requires quick bursts of energy, like wrestling or weightlifting… sleep loss may not affect you as much as with endurance sports like running, swimming, and biking.
- But you’re not doing yourself any favors. Get your full 8.
- Besides robbing you of energy and time for muscle repair, lack of sleep saps your motivation, which is what gets you to the finish line. You’ll face a harder mental and physical challenge — and see slower reaction times.
Balances your blood sugar – during the deep, slow-wave part of your sleep cycle, the amount of glucose in your blood drops. Not enough time in this deepest stage means you don’t get that break to allow a reset.
- Your body will have a harder time responding to your cells’ needs and blood sugar levels.
Boosts your immune system – to help you fight illnesses, your immune system identifies harmful bacteria and viruses in your body and destroys them. Ongoing lack of sleep changes the way your immune cells work.
- They may not attack as quickly, and you could get sick more often.
Can help regulate your weight – when you’re well-rested, you’re less hungry. Being sleep-deprived messes with the hormones in your brain, leptin and ghrelin, that control appetite.
- With those out of balance, your resistance to the temptation of unhealthy foods goes way down. And when you’re tired, you’re less likely to want to get up and move your body.

HOW IT HELPS YOUR BRAIN

Keeps you sharp – when you’re running low on sleep, you’ll probably have trouble holding onto and recalling details. That’s because sleep plays a big part in both learning and memory.
- Without enough sleep, it’s tough to focus and take in new information. Your brain also doesn’t have enough time to properly store memories so you can pull them up later.
Regulates your mood – a thing that your brain does while you sleep is process your emotions. Your mind needs this time in order to recognize and react the right way.
- When you cut that short, you tend to have more negative emotional reactions and fewer positive ones.
- Chronic lack of sleep can also raise the chance of having a mood disorder. One large study showed that when you have insomnia, you’re five times more likely to develop depression, and your odds of anxiety or panic disorders are even greater.

HOW TO GET MORE AND BETTER SLEEP

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours, although some people may need as few as 6 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day.
- But experts say that if you feel sleepy during the day, even during boring activities, you haven’t had enough sleep. So how do you get more?
Stick to a sleep schedule – set aside no more than eight hours for sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours.
- Most people don’t need more than eight hours in bed to be well rested… if 8 isn’t enough for you, add more.
- Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends.
  - Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle.
- If you don’t fall asleep within about 20 minutes of going to bed, leave your bedroom and do something relaxing. Read or listen to soothing music.
  - Go back to bed when you’re tired. Repeat as needed, but continue to maintain your sleep schedule and wake-up time.
Pay attention to what you eat and drink – don’t go to bed hungry or suuuper full. In particular, avoid heavy or large meals within a couple of hours of bedtime. Discomfort might keep you up.
- Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, as well. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine take hours to wear off and can interfere with sleep.
  - And even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it can disrupt sleep later in the night. It also dehydrates you, and that’s why you feel like shit in the morning.
Create a restful environment – keep your room cool, dark and quiet. Exposure to light in the evenings might make it more challenging to fall asleep. Avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens just before bedtime.
- You can use blackout shades, earplugs, a fan or other stuff to create an environment that suits your needs.
- You can try blue light blocking glasses.
- Doing calming activities before bedtime: taking a bath or using relaxation techniques might promote better sleep.
Limit daytime naps – long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep. Limit naps to no more than one hour and avoid napping late in the day.
- However, there is an exception. If you work nights, you might need to nap late in the day before work to help make up your sleep debt. Ignore the nap rule and do what you need to.
Move your body, daily – regular physical activity can promote better sleep. However, avoid being active too close to bedtime.
- Spending time outside every day can help, too.