10 Reasons Why Sleep Is Important
Embracing the transformative power of sleep is essential to fuel your body and mind for peak performance and vitality. A solid snooze is the unsung hero of your well-being, and can work wonders for stress, weight management and longevity. Read on as we unpack ten important reasons to prioritise a restful night’s sleep to reduce the risk of fatigue.
1. Cognitive Function: Ever made a bad decision on a poor night’s sleep? Lack of sleep impairs cognitive processes that are essential for memory, concentration, decision making and problem solving.
2. Weight Management: Sleep disrupts the hormones that regulate hunger and appetite (ghrelin & leptin) making you more inclined to reach for a quick “pick me up”. Inadequate sleep also deprives your body of the time it needs for repair and detoxification, leading to a build up of waste products, slowed metabolism, inflammation, spiked cortisol and.. you guessed it, weight gain.
3. Immune Function: When you sleep, your body produces cytokines which are responsible for creating an immune response to fight infection, as well as T-cells, which play a critical role in our immune response. Getting a good quality sleep strengthens the immune system by allowing it to produce these infection-fighting molecules to fend off illnesses.
4. Cardiovascular Health: The importance of sleep on cardiovascular health has been increasingly acknowledged. Getting a good night’s sleep aids in a reduction in the risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. During a restful sleep your blood pressure drops & blood vessels relax, but with sleep problems – your blood pressure stays higher for longer. High blood pressure is a leading risk factor for stroke and heart disease.
5. Metabolic Function: Poor sleep has been linked to high blood sugar levels due to its effect on insulin, oxidative stress and cortisol. Short sleep duration increases catecholamine production and cortisol, which increases the release of glycogen and inhibits insulin. Eventually, elevated blood sugar levels leads to an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
6. Emotional Well-being: When you’re tired, your emotional regulation goes out the window. Lack of sleep triggers the body’s stress response and bumps up cortisol levels, leading to increased stress & irritability. Increased cortisol causes a reduction in the expression of a chemical in the brain called ‘brain derived neurotrophic factor’ (BDNF), which promotes the survival of serotonin receptors in the brain. This affects neurotransmitters involved in regulating mood and can put a real damper on your emotional well-being.
7. Physical Health: Sleep gives the body and brain time to work on tissue growth and repair, allowing for restoration and healing to occur.
8. Longevity: Research shows that integrating more beneficial sleep habits into your routine could add YEARS to your life. Not to mention its role in serious chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, immunity and diabetes.
9. Greater Athletic Performance: Not getting enough sleep can lead to being less physically active during the day, as well as reduced muscle strength during workouts. 10. Inflammation: Sleep deprivation is closely associated with markers of inflammation, such as cytokines, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, amongst others. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to disease and injury and is usually a temporary response. A
long run of poor sleep can cause inflammation that doesn’t let up, which can eventually contribute to the development of chronic health conditions.
How a Naturopath Can Help
Ensuring a good quality sleep is a fundamental aspect of maintaining optimal health. The ideal sleep duration for healthy adults is between 7-9 hours per night. If you’re struggling to achieve this and need some help beyond counting sheep, book in with one of our expert naturopaths to refine your nighttime routine and get a good night’s sleep every time.
