How to Sleep for Improved Health and Productivity
Have you ever wondered why your brain feels foggy and your body feels weary after days of burning the “midnight oil”? Well I’ve got just two words for you — inadequate sleep.
Believe it or not, a good night’s sleep is just as important (if not more) as healthy eating and regular exercise, if you’re looking to live a maximally healthy and productive life.
In this article, we’ll be looking at why sleep is so important, how much of it you need and simple science-backed tips on how to sleep that will help you make the most of sleep every night.
Why Is Sleep so Important?
There are so many health benefits that stem from getting a good night’s sleep. Contrary to what you may think, your body doesn’t actually “sleep” when you sleep. Rather, it is uses this period to carry out some serious “housecleaning” processes that help the mind and body function at maximum efficiency.
Specifically speaking, though, here are some amazing benefits of a good night’s sleep:
- Help manage the appetite, thereby aiding weight loss
- Boost the immune system
- Help to lay off stress
- Reduce the risk of certain cancers such as colon and breast cancer.
- Promote memory, focus and proper brain functioning
- Maintain a healthy heart by regulating the cholesterol levels and blood pressure
- Reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes, myocardial infarction and stroke
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
Okay, now that it’s crystal-clear that you need sufficient sleep to keep ticking, just how much sleep is sufficient?
Well, as far as sleep experts and research studies are concerned, you need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night before you can reap maximum benefits from sleep.
How to Get the Best out of Sleep Every Single Night
Here’re 10 simple yet power ways to help you sleep well:
1. Stay Away from Blue Light at Bedtime
Exposure to bright light during the day can be a good thing… but at night? Not so much. Research has shown that excessive light exposure prior to bedtime can disrupt sleeping patterns and affect overall sleep quality.
How exactly does this happen?
There are two mechanisms behind it. First off, there’s something called the circadian rhythm. This is the body’s biological clock that regulates sleeping and waking up. However, during excessively bright nighttime conditions, (or under exposure to blue light from smartphones and laptops), the brain gets tricked into thinking it’s still daytime, therefore it reduces the production of sleep hormones.
And that brings us to our next point — melatonin. Melatonin is also known as the sleep hormone, as it helps the body to relax and fall into deep sleep. And as earlier stated, the production of this hormone is significantly reduced under exposure to blue light generated by smartphones, TV and other electronic gadgets.
So, if you’re used to playing video games, answering emails or tweeting late into the night, you need to put an end to that. In addition, set an earlier bedtime for your electronics. Preferably, try and put your gadgets to sleep two hours before you hit the bed.
