Have you ever felt as though you did have enough rest? Almost everyone has had a day where they feel like they are dragging along because they are exhausted from the previous day or did not get enough rest the night before. Aside from having long days that feel like they drag forever, there are many reasons related to your overall health why getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for your body to perform at its absolute best. Today we will touch on some of the top reasons you should hit the hay a little earlier every day.

The quality of sleep can reflect on a person’s overall health. Low quality of sleep is one of the highest risks for obesity in both children and adults. People who are trying to better their health and lose weight must get sufficient sleep, as well as eat the proper nutrients and exercise enough for their body. As many of us may know, our bodies use calories as energy to fuel the body, but our body usually uses sleep to provide us with energy.  Studies show that sleep-deprived individuals have a bigger appetite and tend to eat more calories. Sleep deprivation disrupts the daily fluctuations in appetite hormones and is believed to cause poor appetite regulation.

Sleep quality and duration can have a major effect on many health risks factors. Immunity function is greatly impacted by not getting sufficient or good quality sleep. Your body takes the time you are asleep to recuperate and rest from all the time you spend exerting energy, running errands, and keeping busy whether it may be physically or mentally. If your body does not have the proper time to reset, it can cause exhaustion that later may lead to illnesses such as the common colds where our body may be too weak to fight off. Poor sleep is believed to drive chronic diseases, including heart disease and stroke. A review of 15 studies found that people who don’t get enough sleep are at far greater risk of heart disease or stroke than those who sleep 7–8 hours per night.

Our mood when we wake up can really set the tone for how our days or weeks may go. The quality of sleep we are getting plays a huge role in the stabilization of our body’s hormones. Mental health issues, such as depression and stress, are strongly linked to poor sleep quality and sleeping disorders. It’s been estimated that 90% of people with depression complain about sleep quality. Those with sleeping disorders like insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea also report significantly higher rates of depression than those without. Mental health is a big part of our overall health and part of reaching optimal health is ensuring we are caring for our individual mental health. It is much easier to manage stress when your mind is well rested and ready for what is next.

Overall good quality sleep can be beneficial to almost every aspect of reaching optimal health. It can help our minds be more focused and improve concentration. As well as improve immunity and reduce the risks of chronic diseases. By implementing these small changes to our daily routines, it can help us become more resilient in almost every aspect of our daily lives. Sharing these ideas with family, friends or those close to you can help you become a prevention partner. Caring for not only your health and wellbeing but also for those close who are close to us. Come back next time for more information on how to reach your optimal overall health and build resiliency, empowerment, achieve your goals, and creating hope within yourself.

Resource: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important