Enough Sleep. We all wish we had more of it. Yet it’s still. So. Elusive. And while yawning and feeling tired all the time can be a bummer, a lack of z z’s can actually have a big impact on your health. Experts say you should aim to get between seven and eight hours of shut-eye each night, but what does that really do for you?
Better Mood
There is some truth in the old saying, “Getting up on the right side of the bed.” It has nothing to do with which side of the bed you roll out of, but sleeping can lead to good moods. And really, it makes sense. If you sleep well, you wake up feeling rested. Being rested helps your energy levels soar. When your energy is up, life’s little challenges won’t annoy you as much. When you’re not annoyed, you’re not as angry. If you’re not angry, you’re happy. So, go to bed early and everyone around you will thank you for it.
Improves Memory by sleep
Sleep, learning, and memory are complex phenomena that are not entirely understood. However, animal and human studies suggest that the quantity and quality of sleep have a profound impact on learning and memory. Research suggests that helps learning and memory in two distinct ways. First, a sleep-deprived person cannot focus attention optimally and therefore cannot learn efficiently. Second, sleep itself has a role in the consolidation of memory, which is essential for learning new information.
It Can Increase Exercise Performance
Someone studied the effects of sleep deprivation on basketball players and guess what they found? When they didn’t sleep well, they weren’t very good basketball players. You might be thinking, ”So what? I’m only MVP in my dreams.” Well, sleep affects all types of exercise performance. Under-the-covers recovery helps with hand-eye coordination, reaction time and muscle recovery. Plus, depriving yourself of sleep can have a negative impact on strength and power.
Lack of It Can Be Dangerous. Literally
If you eat well and exercise regularly, but don’t get at least seven hours of sleep every night, you may be undermining all of your other efforts. And we’re not being dramatic! It is crucial for our health — and many of us are lacking when it comes to it.
Sleeping Can Increase Productivity
Looking back at the 20th century, it’s remarkable the degree to which scientific research impacted our behavior. Studies found that tobacco was bad, so we (largely) stopped smoking. Research showed the benefits of exercise, so we signed up for gym memberships in droves. But when it comes to sleep, we seem to have missed the memo. A recent study of 1,000 adults tracked productivity of quantity and quality. The conclusion was clear: ” Duration (both short and long), insomnia, sleepiness, and snoring were all associated with decreased work productivity.” Their recommendation was unambiguous: “Sleep should be considered an important element in workplace health.”
