Most of us are aware that we need to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night to maintain optimal health, but few people understand exactly why. Below are five proven health benefits to getting your 8 hours and avoiding the effects of chronic sleep deprivation.
Better Memory
There is plenty of scientific evidence demonstrating that a lack of sleep leads to much worse memory formation and recall. This is why when you are extremely tired, you find it difficult to recall information. Anyone who has tried to sit an exam after a night of insomnia can attest to just how much of an impact a lack of sleep can have on their ability to recall information.
Ensuring that you get at least 8 hours of sleep every night will make sure that your brain is operating at full capacity during the day and that you aren’t suffering from any memory deficit.
Better Mood
Another common side effect of not getting enough sleep is a significantly reduced mood. When we don’t get enough sleep at night, your mood is usually the first thing to suffer. We are all familiar with the way that being tired can affect how we interact with other people, and the way it can make us feel inside.
If you are finding yourself regularly feeling tired and irritable, then it might be worth considering whether your sleep routine could be to blame. As well as ensuring that you get to bed at a reasonable hour every night, it is also essential to have a good mattress to sleep on if you want to get good quality sleep every night. With the Presidents Day mattress sale coming up soon, there are plenty of opportunities to buy your dream mattress at your dream price in the sales.
Better Creative Thinking
One of the less appreciated side effects of not getting enough sleep is impaired creative thinking. Most of us use creative thinking a lot more throughout the day than we might realize. For example, every time you need to write a report or compose an email, you are engaging the creative part of your brain. If you are sleep deprived, then you will find it harder to form interesting sentences and generally show off your creativity.
If you have a job like writing or making music that is based entirely around your creative abilities, attempting to do any serious work while you are sleep deprived will be fruitless.
Physical Health Benefits
There are numerous physical health benefits associated with getting a proper night’s sleep and a similarly large number of health issues that can affect those who don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis. For example, chronic sleep deprivation is associated with higher blood pressure, which in turn increases your chances of suffering a heart attack or a stroke. On the other hand, those who regularly get 8 hours of sleep or more every night are much more likely to find their blood pressure in the normal range.
Chronic sleep deprivation has also been associated with type 2 diabetes in a number of research papers. Those who aren’t able to get enough sleep regularly have trouble processing glucose, just like diabetics do. Exactly how strong a link between sleep deprivation and diabetes is still up for debate, but the existence of such a link is now beyond doubt.
Painkiller
If you have suffered a recent injury and are plagued by pain, getting a good night’s sleep can make a huge amount of difference. Getting plenty of sleep following an injury will ensure that your body is able to heal itself as quickly and efficiently as possible.
These are just some of the many health benefits available to those who are able to make sure that they get their full 8 hours every night. A chronic lack of sleep is associated with numerous health issues. Given how easy it is to avoid developing a sleep deficit, none of us should be suffering from its effects.
Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.
