HEALTH BENEFITS OF A GOOD SLEEP

HEALTH BENEFITS OF A GOOD SLEEP by Oluwafemi Olasubomi Jolaoso

Sleep is probably the most underrated aspect of a healthy lifestyle, with many people believing physical exercise to be the key to unfound youth.

The beneficial effects gained from sleep may include:

Promotes Memory Retention:
Many people believe that the brain grinds to a dead halt during sleep; on the contrary, it merely “adjusts” for a different shift of work. Sleep helps to improve skills acquired during the day. For example, many persons report ease in learning a language if they sleep adequate hours every night. Sleep is in a way involuntary practice of the learned skill.

Longevity:
Although this is somewhat controversial, a study carried out in 2010 revealed that women between the ages of 50-79 who either under or over slept had a higher mortality rate than women who had the recommended amount of sleep each night. The women having less than 5 hours or more than 7 ½ hours were discovered to have a higher death rate. This study is in no way conclusive, since other factors which may determine quality of life, such as underlying illnesses were not taken into consideration.

Decrease Systemic Inflammation:
Many conditions in the body are associated with elevated inflammatory responses, including diseases such as heart disease, various types of arthritis, accelerated aging, diabetes mellitus and strokes. People who sleep less than 6 hours nightly generally have higher levels of inflammatory proteins, commonly C-reactive protein. Many people who develop these conditions secondary to a sleep disorder can have their symptoms improved significantly if sleep is addressed.

Sleep Improves Physical Performance:
Sleep is highly rated on an athlete’s agenda, at least those who understand the benefit of it. During sleep muscle tissue is rebuilt and strength gains are set into stone. In addition, the release of growth hormone during sleep also exerts an additive effect on recovery and performance enhancement.

Academic Performance:
If an analysis of top achievers was to be carried out, the amount of sleep they get would be higher compared to their peers. Although burning the midnight oil is important for you to get good grades, it is during sleep that aspects of memory become permanent. So it is never wise to push beyond your boundaries, sacrificing sleep in the process.

Sharpen Mental Awareness:
Many children suffering from ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disease) also have poor sleep patterns, leading to lessened attentive skills. It is reported that children who get less than 8 hours sleepy nightly exhibit more symptoms of hyperactivity, inattentiveness and acting on impulse. The effect of sleep deprivation on children is significantly different than in adults.

Weight Management:
Weight management is achieved on several levels with the help of sound sleep. For one, during your waking hours hormones are secreted that signal hunger, the more you sleep that action is suppressed. Metabolism if favored by sleep, with a healthy thyroid gland being your reward. Finally, the release of growth hormone during sleep helps the body to metabolize fat during your sleep fast, and also shuttles calories to where they are needed.

Stress Buster:
The relationship between sleep and stress levels is like that of a coin, when one is on top the other suffers. It demonstrates that people who sleep less on a frequent basis are more likely to have stress in control of their life, while persons who sleep sufficiently every night will only deal with stress when it helps to make the job easier. It is important to note that the stress hormone released by the body is important, it is the one which helps you get up when the going gets tough