7 Reasons Sleep is More Essential Than You Think

Sleep is just as important for good health as eating right, exercising, and staying hydrated. Sleep is a required human need, every bit as much as urination, eating, and falling in love.

Compared to what most people get, you need sleep and a lot of it. Yet, in the USA, about 70 percent of adults get less sleep than they need and one-third of adults get so little sleep as to cause health problems.

The lack of sleep prevalent in the USA affects women more than men due to the added physical and emotional labor they provide to their families.

• You’ll Be Healthier Mentally and Physically – Sleeping enough each night resets your body for functioning in the day. In addition, chemicals are released that clean your system, reset your clock, and even improve your metabolism. All of this affects your mind and body in amazing ways.

• You’ll Be More Pleasant to Be Around – When you’re well-rested, you’re going to be a lot less moody and a lot more joyful. You’ll want to be around your friends and family more because you feel so good. You’ll be bright-eyed at work and seen as a go-getter and someone ready to be promoted.

• You’ll Be Better at Decision Making – When you’re not tired, it’s easier for your mind to retrieve the important information to make your choices and decisions about everything. If you’re tired, it’s easy to miss important details and make mistakes.

• You’ll Improve Your Athletic Performance – Top-notch athletes don’t keep practicing until exhaustion 48 hours before any performance, they eat a good meal, and they sleep and rest instead. They’ve done all the work until that point, and then they get their body extra ready by resting.

• You’ll Improve Your Academic Performance – Yes, there are lots of stories about people staying up all night studying and cramming before a big test. Still, the truth is, the better way is to study on a schedule that allows you to learn all you need 48 hours before your test and then spend that 48 hours resting and caring for yourself to boost testing performance.

• You’ll Improve Your Immunity – People who sleep more get fewer illnesses and colds. This is because your body makes a protein called cytokines which attack infection and inflammation in the body while you sleep.

• You’ll Be a Healthier Weight – Studies show that sleeping at least 7 to 9 hours a night improves your metabolism substantially while also helping you stay satisfied. The trick is to stop eating two to three hours before bed.

Make sleeping every night and sleeping well a priority in your life, and it will pay off in big ways. You’ll enjoy your life more, you’ll even like being in your home more, and you’ll be that much more productive when you are actively doing things with your work, your friends, and your family.