The Incredible Power of Sleep
Of course we all understand that getting the right quantity and quality of sleep can have a great impact on our upcoming day. What we may not all understand though, is just what sleep does for the mind and body that requires us to receive the appropriate amount and standard so as to be able to function throughout our daily lives. In truth, not even the most expert of sleep researchers fully understand just why the process of the sleep cycle is so necessary to human psychology and physiology.
What is known, however, are the many different ways that sleep is beneficial to us and how it can help us recover, relax, and grow. Below, we’ll take an in-depth look at five scientifically proven benefits of sleep, including which direction to sleep scientifically and the scientifically best time to sleep.
Sleep Is a Stress Reducer
The process of falling asleep produces a myriad of relaxing hormones that allow you to drift into a comfortable sleep cycle. As a matter of fact, if you go without sleep, the body goes into stress mode which could result in high blood pressure and a plethora of other health risks. This alert state could also cause anxiety which could actually make it harder to fall asleep. This should showcase how important getting a proper night’s sleep can be in lowering stress levels.
Sleep Heightens Cognitive Function
As mentioned above, though it is not fully understood why we sleep or dream, it has been established that both play a role in helping process information. In a procedure known as memory consolidation, the brain works to make connections, process events, and analyze memories, emotions, and feelings while the body rests at night. The deep sleep state of the sleep cycle is integral to this process. Entering the deep sleep state four to five times per sleep session greatly aids in processing and remembering better.
Sleep Aids in Combating Depression
Sleep has an profound effect on many chemicals and hormones throughout the body. One of the many components of the body’s neurological system that sleep impacts heavily is that of our Serotonin levels. Serotonin deficiency has been directly linked with depression and anxiety. Researchers believe that getting quality sleep for seven to nine hours nightly allows the body to regenerate it’s Serotonin reserves resulting in lower risk of depressive episodes.
Sleep Helps Regulate Weight
Many researchers have pinpointed various links between the body’s hormones controlling appetite and lack of sleep. Statistical links between obesity with poor sleep patterns have also been noted in a variety of studies. Hormones like Leptin and Ghrelin, which have been shown to be impacted by lack of sleep work to regulate and suppress appetite as needed. With this in mind, adequate sleep becomes an important factor in maintaining overall health.
Sleep Aids in the Body’s Overall Reparative Processes
When we relax into sleep the body’s reparative processes enter overdrive. Cells work to produce more protein allowing for new molecules to be implemented in damaged cells during the sleep cycle. This process provides the body the ability to heal damages caused by varying factors including stress, UV rays, and other negative exposures.
Better Sleep for Better Health
As can be seen from the myriad of benefits listed above, getting adequate, quality sleep can allow for a plethora of better wellness advantages. Relaxation techniques, avoiding screens for an hour leading up to bedtime, or perhaps listening to a relaxing soundtrack or sleep based podcast, can help you better relax for better quality sleep for ultimately better health. Another excellent way to encourage superior sleeping habits is by laying down on a new mattress from My Green Mattress.
