Health benefits of a good night's sleep and its effects on health

Sleep is a powerful force that dispenses a multitude of life-changing benefits. From making us more productive to prolonging our lives, a good night’s sleep is really important to our physical health and emotional well-being. That’s why the benefits of good sleep should never be underestimated. Here is why getting proper rest on a regular basis is very essential.

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Health benefits of a good sleep

• Sharper Brain

Without enough sleep, it's tough to focus and take in new information. Your brain also doesn't have enough time to properly store memories for you to pull them up later. Sleep lets your brain catch up so you're ready for what comes next. Sleep is important for various aspects of brain function. Cognition, concentration, productivity, and performance; all of these are negatively affected by sleep deprivation.

• Mood Boost

Another thing that your brain does while you sleep is process your emotions. Your mind needs this time to recognize and react and process information the right way. When you cut your sleep short, you tend to have more negatively enforced emotional reactions and fewer positive ones. Lack of sleep can also raise the chance of having mood swings.

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• Healthier Heart

The less sleep you get; you prolong the chances of your blood pressure going up during a 24-hour cycle. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, including stroke. Short term negligence can lead to long-term damage to yourself. To truly keep your heart healthy, an adequate amount of sleep is essential.

• Athletic Achievement

It may be essential to you to train early, but you're not doing yourself any favours besides robbing you of energy and time for muscle repair. Lack of sleep lowers your motivation, which is exactly what gets you to the finish line. You'll face a harder mental and physical challenge and start to notice slower reaction times. Proper rest sets you up for your best performance.

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•  Sleep for Your Weight

Sleep may be key to managing a healthy weight. Getting only five hours of sleep is associated with a higher body mass index. When we’re even partially sleep deprived, our appetite hormones change. Levels of leptin, the satiation hormone that lets us know when we’ve eaten enough, drops down. Whereas levels of ghrelin, the hormone that triggers appetite, rapidly gets boosted.

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