There’s nothing more glorious than putting your head on a fluffy pillow and drifting off to sleep after a long day. Unfortunately, longer working hours and too much time spent binge-watching the latest Netflix series have left people sacrificing their sleep time. To help motivate you to catch more zzz’s, here are five reasons good quality sleep is crucial.
You’ll have better concentration
Have you ever woken up from a restful night’s sleep and felt as though you could take on the world? That’s because you can. Well, metaphorically anyway. According to various medical studies, having a good night’s rest helps to improve your concentration, productivity and cognition. In some cases, it has even been shown to improve problem-solving skills and memory performance. So make sure that you get some rest!
Less sleep increases the risk of heart disease
Along with feeling as though you’ve been hit by a train, sleep deprivation can have several negative effects on your body, including a greater risk of heart disease. According to Healthline, individuals that don’t get enough sleep have a greater risk of developing this disease than those that get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Of course, these risks become greater over an extended period.
Improves immune function
Lack of sleep can be harmful to your immune system, as individuals who do not get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick when exposed to a virus. They are also less likely to bounce back from a cold. Boost your immune system by drinking a warm cup of lemon water or chowing on some raw garlic. But most importantly, get enough sleep.
Sleep can influence your emotions
If you’ve ever spent a few days without enough sleep, you’d know that there’s no way you can function within a social setting. Poor sleep can affect your ability to discern essential social cues and process emotional information, as reported by Healthline.
Poor sleep can influence weight gain
There’s no question that your body needs proper sleep to function. In an extensive study conducted by a Health Institute in the United States, the research indicated that children and adults who didn’t get enough sleep were more likely to develop obesity. As a result, not getting enough sleep is one of the main risk factors that lead to obesity.
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