Sleep

Good quality sleep is possibly one of the most important factors contributing to our health and wellness.

When we sleep, our bodies repair, heal and clear out toxins. If we do not get enough deep, restful and restorative sleep the body will not be able to recover from the stress that has been placed on it during the day or rebalance, heal and rejuvenate itself correctly. Without regular deep sleep, we more likely to get hormonal imbalances, weight gain, mood swings, brain fog, and many other preventable symptoms.

No one really knows what an optimum night’s sleep looks like, and it is certainly different for different people. However, research suggests that anything less than 5 and a half hours is too little, and more than 9 and a half hours is too much.

Long Term Benefits of Quality Sleep

Improves learning and memory - sleep helps you learn and remember things, with better problem solving and memory skills.

Makes you happier - a study of women showed that a poor night's sleep negatively affected their happiness levels.

Increases your lifespan - too much or too little sleep can shorten your lifespan; aim for 7-8 hours

Reduces inflammation - increased stress hormones caused by lack of sleep raises inflammation in the body. In turn, this increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Better immune function - sleep loss can lower your immunity, making you susceptible to colds, flus and viruses.

Improved athletic performance - longer sleep time improves speed, accuracy, reaction time and mental wellbeing.

Helps to lose weight and stay fit - with less than 7 hours sleep a night, you are more likely to be overweight or obese. A lack of sleep affects the appetite hormones, leptin and ghrelin, causing you to eat more.

Helps you to build muscle more easily - when you sleep, your body repairs and rebuilds muscle tissues, as well as releasing growth hormones.

Healthier, younger looking skin - sleep slows down ageing, and helps you to recover from stress, anxiety and depression which can cause skin problems.

Reduced risk of developing diabetes - adults who get less than 6 hours sleep a night are up to 2.5 times more likely to develop diabetes.

Improved mood and less likely to be depressed - disrupted sleep can interfere with chemicals and hormones linked to your mood and depression.

Healthier heart - studies show that those who get less sleep are at higher risk of heart disease or stroke.

May help to prevent cancer - a disrupted circadian rhythm and melatonin levels affects tumor growth.

Less headaches and migraines - Studies show that poor quality sleep is linked to migraines and headaches.

Lower stress levels - when you don't get enough sleep, your body is on high alert which releases stress hormones and increases blood pressure.

Improved focus and attention - a 2009 study showed that children who had less than 8 hours sleep a night were more likely to be hyperactive, inattentive and impulsive.

Helps you avoid accidents and errors - Drowsy driving causes 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths yearly. Medical students who had more sleep also made less serious errors.

Better sex - a lack of sleep reduces your sex drive and also increases your risk of sexual dysfunction. Good sleep restores your sex hormones.

Less likely to be irritated or annoyed - you are more likely to be easily irritated and emotionally volatile when you don't get enough sleep.

Improved productivity and concentration - Good sleep allows you to wake up refreshed and energised. this leads to better cognition, concentration, productivity and performance.