If you’ve ever had a night of fitful sleep, then you know that not all sleep is created equal. If you aren’t getting enough restorative sleep, it can wreak havoc on your body and mind. Sleep deprivation isn’t just about feeling tired: it’s also linked to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems. In this article we’ll look at why getting good quality sleep is essential for overall wellness and how to improve your own sleeping habits.
Because sleep is when muscles and bones repair themselves.
When you sleep, your body goes through a process called “autophagy,” which means to eat itself. When your body does this, it recycles the old cells and then produces new ones. The reason why this happens during sleep is that the body is relaxed and in an ideal environment for repair.
Sleep deprivation hinders autophagy because the body isn’t able to rest or repair itself while awake; therefore, these processes don’t happen as often as they should if you’re not getting enough sleep each night.
Because the immune system relies on sleep to recharge.
You probably already know that your immune system relies on sleep to recharge and function properly, but it’s important to understand exactly why. It’s also helpful to recognize the signs of a compromised immune system so you can take action before things get too serious.
Sleep deprivation affects the body’s stress response by increasing levels of cortisol (the “stress hormone”) in the blood. This is the exact opposite effect that cortisol should have: during times of stress and anxiety, cortisol helps us relax by lowering heart rate and blood pressure and strengthening our immune system. When we’re not getting enough sleep or have been under chronic stress for long periods of time, this process reverses itself—and because it’s so difficult for our bodies to adapt quickly enough in these situations, one night of good sleep won’t be enough to make up for years’ worth of lost rest!
Research shows that sleep deprivation can lead to increased levels of anxiety and depression; both conditions are associated with an overactive HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which controls how much cortisol gets released into the bloodstream at any given moment—and since reduced REM cycles cause less activation from this area during REM stages themselves.”
Because the brain requires sleep to work optimally.
To understand why sleep is important, you have to first understand what happens in the brain when we’re awake. For example, when you’re daydreaming or thinking about things that happened during the day, your brain is firing up its neurons (brain cells).
As soon as you fall asleep, however, a whole different process begins: The electrical activity in your brain slows down and becomes more synchronized with slow-wave oscillations (also known as delta waves). These slow waves play an important role in consolidating memories and other cognitive functions.
The fact that our brains need adequate rest for optimal performance has been proven by countless studies over the years. For instance: In one study from Harvard Medical School published in Nature Neuroscience in 2017, researchers found that mice who slept less than their peers were less able to remember certain objects later on—even though both groups had equal access to these objects while awake!
Because sleep deprivation affects metabolic processes and weight.
You’ve probably heard that getting enough sleep is essential to your health and productivity. Now, research shows that lack of sleep can also affect the way your body processes food and burns calories.
Sleep deprivation may cause changes in metabolism
One study found that people who were short on sleep had an average 10% reduction in resting metabolic rate—the number of calories burned by the body at rest.* This means you could gain weight even if you eat the same amount as usual.
Because people who sleep well have better emotional health.
- People who sleep well are less likely to be depressed.
- People who sleep well are more likely to be happy.
- People who sleep well are more optimistic and feel in control of their lives.
Takeaway:
So, takeaway:
Sleep is a vital part of overall health. It helps you repair your body, recharge your immune system, and work optimally. Sleep deprivation can lead to an increased risk of depression and mental illness, as well as weight gain—and if you’re not sleeping well it could be because your room isn’t comfortable enough.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you understand why sleep is so important for our overall health and well-being. A good night’s rest can help us stay alert during the day, and not getting enough sleep can leave us feeling irritable and tired. We know how hard it can be to get more shut-eye when there are so many other things calling out for your attention (like social media). But if you really want to feel refreshed in the morning—and all day long!—then make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night
