Why Sleep Is Crucial for Health
We all sleep, whether we want to or not. Our bodies will eventually succumb to sleep because it’s vital to our existence. The truth is, we all need sleep for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. And let’s be honest—you probably already know that. I’m sure you’re familiar with the side effects of a sleepless night, like feeling groggy, cranky, and just not quite yourself.
But did you know that studies have shown people who maintain a consistent, good-quality sleep pattern live longer and have a significantly lower risk of chronic diseases? For example, a study found that adopting better sleep habits could extend life expectancy by up to 5 years in men and 2.4 years in women (source).
Now that we’ve established sleep is pretty darn important, let’s dive into the details.
The Physical Health Benefits of Sleep
Immune System Support: Ever wonder why some people seem to avoid colds and flu all winter, while others catch everything going around? Well, sleep boosts our immune system, helping our bodies fight infections more effectively. Sleep deprivation weakens the production of cytokines—proteins that help fight infections and inflammation. So, if you want to stay healthy, catching some ZZZs is a great place to start!
For more information, you can check these sources:
- SleepFoundation: How Sleep Affects the Immune System
- National Institutes of Health: Sleep and Immune Function
Heart Health: A good, consistent sleep routine also protects your heart. People who sleep well are at a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes. Chronic sleep deprivation can increase blood pressure and inflammation, which are key contributors to cardiovascular disease.
- SleepFoundation: Heart Health and Sleep
- CDC: Sleep and Heart Disease
Weight Management: have the lb’s been slowly creeping on? Have you been tossing and turning most nights? Yup you can blame poor sleep for some of those lbs. There’s a few things at play here. When we don’t sleep well, we tend to go grab the quick fixes the following day, maybe reaching for a sugary energy boost throughout the day or being so fatigued we can’t be bothered to cook so order from the local takeout.
On a more biological level poor sleep can lead to hormonal imbalances too which can lead to increased hunger. When we’re sleep-deprived, our bodies increase the production of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decrease leptin (the hormone that tells us when we’re full), leading to increased hunger and poor food choices The sleep foundation says “Sleep deprivation is associated with growth hormone deficiency and elevated cortisol levels, both of which have been linked to obesity. Additionally, insufficient sleep can impair your metabolism of food”.
In fact, sleep is so much of an accomplice to weight gain, one of the first questions I ask my clients who come to me for weight loss is “How well are you sleeping?”, if they aren’t sleeping well, we go straight into working on the sleep first.
- SleepFoundation: Sleep and Weight Gain
- Harvard Health: The Link Between Sleep and Weight
Repair & Recovery: Sleep also has another very important function on the body. When we are in deep sleep (stage 3) of our sleep cycles & REM our bodies begin to repair tissues, muscles & cells. This all aids in our body’s recovery and growth – so for someone who is injured, sick, a child or even an athlete you can understand why getting those later stages of the sleep cycle is super important!
- SleepFoundation: Stages of Sleep
- NIH: Muscle Recovery and Sleep
The Mental Health Benefits
- Cognitive Function: Ever tried making a big decision or solving a problem when you’re sleep-deprived? It doesn’t go well, does it? Sleep is vital for brain function, including memory, concentration, and problem-solving. Without enough sleep, you’ll find these skills impaired, which can lead to poor performance in both personal and professional life.
- Mood Regulation: Poor sleep doesn’t just leave you tired; it can also affect your mood. Sleep deprivation is linked to mood swings and increased feelings of anxiety and depression. It also raises cortisol levels (the stress hormone), making you feel more stressed and decreases serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that regulate mood. This is a reason people feel more irritable and stressed after a poor night’s sleep. And remember, stress isn’t just a mental thing—it can affect gut health, cause headaches, and raise blood pressure.
The Bigger Picture: Chronic Sleep Deprivation
A night or two of poor sleep might leave you feeling irritable, making bad food choices, or snapping at loved ones. But long-term sleep deprivation can lead to more serious problems like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Sleep is so integral to our health that when we don’t get enough, our bodies and minds suffer.
There are many ways to address poor sleep. For some, small changes can make all the difference, while others may need a more comprehensive approach. That’s why I’ve created the Sleep Success Blueprint, a programme packed with strategies to help everyone—from stressed-out CEOs to shift workers—get better sleep.
There is something in my programme for everyone. We will be deep diving into the subconscious mind too and dealing with those seemingly automatic behaviours that we feel we have no control over, we will be looking at the surface level stuff too. And believe it or not one of the keys to a good night’s sleep starts first thing in the morning, and we will be covering that too.
My Top 3 Tips for Better Sleep
- Only use your bed for sleep and sex. If you can’t sleep, get out of bed.
- Avoid overstimulation before bed. Phones and TVs emit light that keeps your brain awake, so try reading a book instead. Just make sure it’s not a page-turner!
- Environment matters. Make your room dark and cool, and if you have a clock, cover it. Watching the minutes tick by won’t help you sleep!
Ready to get serious about sleep? Join one of my Sleep Success Blueprint workshops, and if you use the code “iamsleepingbetternow,” you’ll get an extra £25 off.
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