We all know that eating right and exercise are important when it comes to being healthy, but something we may not realize as playing an important role in our body’s health is sleep.
People need sleep in order to keep themselves alert and focused during the day and to avoid drowsiness, and those side effects of little sleep are often noticed right away, but there are many more issues that can stem from a poor sleep routine.
One of the biggest causes of getting poor sleep is the mattress you’re currently sleeping on.
While not getting enough time out of your daily routines to get a good amount of sleep plays a large role too, having a good bed like a T&N Hybrid mattress can help you to get the good deep sleep you need with the limited time you have.
Tuft and Needle Hybrid mattresses are one of the most supportive foam mattresses (and they come shipped in a box to your door!) You can check out my review of them here.
But whether you choose to invest in a good mattress or not, you should understand why sleep is important and how a good night’s rest can do so much good for your body.
What are the benefits of getting enough sleep?
Besides getting a good night’s rest you can also increase your body’s immunity to fighting off sicknesses and more serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease.
You know when you’re sick and the doctors mention to get good rest? This is often because your body does better to fight on your behalf when you’re asleep than it does when you’re awake.
Some other great benefits of sleep include helping you to reduce stress levels and improve your mood. It’s really hard to go to bed mad and wake up still angry.
Good sleep also helps you to get along better with other people and to think and act more clearly. In other words, no brain fog or cloudy judgments being made.
Why is sleep important for the brain?
Think of your brain like a computer or a cell phone. Every once in a while you have to restart it, delete cache, or give it an update to help it run more efficiently.
Your brain is essentially the computer that operates your entire body. When you sleep, your brain has time to do a restart and update.
Sleep is important for helping the nerve cells in your body to communicate with each other. (If you’ve ever been really sleep deprived you may have noticed how sensitive to pain your body becomes).
Researchers have shown that pain and sleep are closing linked together and that insomnia decreases the body’s pain threshold and makes you more sensitive to touch.
Another reason why sleep is important for your brain is because while you’re sleeping, your brain stays awake and to remove some of the toxins that built up while you were awake. This is like removing gross film off of a dirty window. Every day more dirt builds up, and every night it gets wiped clean to repeat the process the following day.
The better your sleep is, the better the window gets cleaned, but if you don’t get a lot of good sleep, the dirt builds up and eventually the view isn’t so clear.
What are 3 Important benefits of sleep?
So if you’ve followed along thus far, you understand that getting a good night’s sleep can help your body to function properly, remain healthy, and help you to keep your brain active and alert.
These are all things that we need to keep in mind. Sleep isn’t just spending 8 hours laying on a bed, it’s one of the most important things you can do for yourself every day.
How many hours should we sleep?
Sleep requirements often vary from person to person depending on a lot of factors including age, but most grown adults need an average of 7-9 hours of sleep to function at their best. If you’re able to get a more restful sleep by using the best hybrid mattress, then you may need fewer than 9 hours of sleep because the quality of the sleep that you did get will be improved.
How much sleep do you need by age?
Younger people tend to need more sleep than the older generations but their bodies are still growing and developing so getting a good night’s rest is ideal for helping them to do well in school and become successful adults.
Helping your children to appreciate and maintain a good sleep schedule is a good way to set them up for healthy and productive lives.
An example of how much sleep people need based on ages:
- Teens (14-17) need 8-10 hours of sleep per night.
- Young adults (18-25) need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
- Adults (26-64) need 7-9 hours per night.
- Older Adults (65+) need 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
What happens to our bodies when we don’t get enough sleep?
Besides not wanting to function properly, there are other issues that come from not getting enough sleep. All of them decrease and lower your quality of life, either short term or long term.
- Short term signs of not getting enough sleep include:
- Drowsiness
- Yawning
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Long term signs can include:
- Compromised decision making
- Mood swings
- Susceptible to sicknesses like the flu
What are the best sleeping positions?
Okay so you may or may not have the best cooling mattress on the market, but you can still try to get a restful night of sleep by laying in a good position. Some great sleeping positions can actually help your body to fall asleep more quickly or to have you waking up feeling more restful.
Some decent sleep positions include sleeping on your:
- Back with knee support
- Side with a pillow between your knees
- In the fetal position
- front with a pillow positioned under your stomach
- On your front with your head face down
- On your back in a reclined position.
So remember that if you want to live a long and healthy life, you will need to remember to incorporate a good sleep routine into your day. This is of course in addition to healthy eating habits and your exercise routines. Making time to get a good night’s rest is just as important as eating right and staying active.
There is more to being healthy
- Drinking Water for better Health
- Healthy Habits to Exercise
- Eating Healthy
- Portion Foods
- Mindfulness Being Purposely Present
Devour Dinner does not make any claims or guarantees for health or a healthy lifestyle. Nor will Devour Dinner be held accountable for the choices of those who wish to participate. Always consult a physician before starting any exercise routine or change of diet. Please consult a dietitian for dietary needs.
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