Sleeping Beauty Was On To Something...

 

 

 

In this day and age, a proper night’s sleep is very hard to obtain. There are so many distractions that keep us awake way past sunset and our sleep schedules get skewy. However, not getting enough sleep doesn’t seem to be a huge concern as long as there is a big pot of hot coffee waiting for us in the morning.  We stay up to watch television, play on social media sites or socialize with friends. We oversleep, overeat and become lazy because we do not stop to rest. Our bodies are so dependent on chemicals and stimulants to get us through the day when simply unplugging earlier in the night and exercising in the morning could do the trick.

The Harvard Women’s Health Watch suggests six reasons to get enough sleep:

·         Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.

·         Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.

·         Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents

·         Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.

·         Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.

·         Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.

Sleep is SO important to our bodies but it seldom is a priority- especially this time of year. Do yourself a favor and try going to bed between 9 and 10p.m for a few nights to see if you notice improvements in your memory, health and mood.