I Wonder… What happens when we get the Sleep we need?

So, you’ve finally reached your goal to have a good night’s sleep. Congratulations! Now that you’ve achieved it, what benefits can you expect from your healthy sleep, and why should you aim to hit this goal consistently?

Just like the effects of Sleep Deprivation, the benefits of getting the sleep we need can be broken up into categories. Today we will look at the Physical, Mental and Emotional benefits of a healthy sleep cycle.

Physical

While we sleep, our body works to repair and revitalise cells. When you get enough sleep, you can expect:

1. Stronger immune system

2. Healthier organs

3. Positively functioning metabolism

4. Lowered risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurological conditions, stroke, sickness/infection…

It’s simple really; the healthier our sleep routine is, the healthier our body is. It’s important to allow our system the appropriate time each night to regenerate damaged cells, metabolise food and nutrients, distribute hormones and work through toxins and waste. When we give it this time, our system avoids playing ‘catch up’ during the day and focuses more on what we need while awake. Mental

If we allow our brain time to process and retain information each night, we wake up with:

1. Better problem-solving skills

2. Stronger short-term, working and long-term memory

3. Detailed critical thinking processes

4. More ‘mental energy’ to put towards intellectual processes

Ever wake up feeling ‘fuzzy’ in the head? If so, you have probably experienced how it affects your work, school and/or home life. Avoid moving through tomorrow in a haze by giving your brain time to work through the day’s events, store important information and memory, repair cells and create new pathways for skill development. You will wake up feeling bright and focused!

Emotional

Getting the right amount of sleep for allows us to:

1. Regulate our mood more effectively

2. Maintain positive social interactions

3. Build better relationships

4. Respond more appropriately to stress and negative situations.

We are all aware of the various emotional stressors that can pop up in our lives, at any given time. When we have a well-rested mind and body, we are more likely to respond to these stressors in a healthy, effective way.

Time to reap the rewards! Which of the listed benefits above have you already experienced today?

I hope you enjoyed reading about the benefits of a healthy sleep! Join us next time for more information on maintaining a healthy sleep cycle.