World Sleep Day is not just a day for dreamers, but a vindication of the many benefits that a good night's sleep provides. Do you want to know what they are?
Sleep and health are deeply connected, but life is so fast that sometimes we forget about it. We tend to think that sleep deprivation only causes tiredness and drowsiness, and that having a cup of coffee at hand is enough to solve it. But nothing could be further from the truth. Sleep is a fundamental part of the natural life cycle of human beings, and it affects both the mind and the body. If you think that sleeping is a waste of time, take a look at the following list.
Health benefits of sleep
It can help you to maintain your weight
If you don't want to get fat, sleep more. Poor sleep is one of the major risk factors for obesity in both children and adults, given the hormonal imbalance that insufficient rest causes. Similarly, some studies have shown that those who get enough sleep tend to eat fewer calories.
May reduce the risk of diabetes
Several studies have shown how getting about 4 hours of sleep each single night can cause symptoms of pre-diabetes, which disappear when sleep duration returns to normal. This is due to the body's inability to process glucose when it does not get enough rest.
It can improve memory
The brain spends its sleep time getting rid of all the junk information you've accumulated during the day and fixing what might be useful. It's almost like a computer sorting and deleting files. Short naps (no more than 20 minutes) are also effective in this process.
It can make your heart healthier
When you sleep, your blood pressure drops, so the longer you sleep, the less your circulatory system suffers from high pressure. A regular sleep pattern therefore helps reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
It can significantly reduce stress
The hormones that control stress are triggered by sleep deprivation, generating feedback that results in more stress and less sleep. In addition, it has been found that moods improve significantly the longer one spends in bed.
Helps your body to fight
The proteins that help your body fight infections are produced to a greater extent while you sleep, so a long night's sleep can be a great ally against minor illnesses.
World Sleep Day
Making this relationship between sleep and health known is the main purpose of World Sleep Day, a date celebrated every year on the Friday before the spring equinox. Organized by the World Sleep Society, it is a way to raise awareness and attention to the need for good sleep for personal health and well-being through educational activities that take place around the world.
With a different slogan each year, the 2020 slogan is "Better Sleep, Better Life, Better Planet", highlighting sleep's important place as a pillar of health, allowing for better decision making and cognitive understanding in even big issues, such as our planet. If you want to be environmentally sustainable, you'd better get your eight hours of sleep.
Now that you know the relationship between sleep and health, will you try to get enough sleep? If you can't find the time, you can always turn to OSTRICHPILLOW ORIGINAL, an immersive pillow that isolates you from the outside world and provides you with a comfortable sleep at any time.
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Photo by The New York Public Library on Unsplash
Photo by NASA on Unsplash
