SLEEP .............HOW IS IT IMPORTANT ?

We see that that sleep can prevent health problems and working problems such as concentration and thinking ability, just to name a few. So remember to never underestimate how important a good nights rest is! Learn why!

We need sleep to survive. A good night of sleep is very important to our overall health and ability to function effectively throughout the day. However, when our lives become busy, sleep becomes less of a priority for many of us. William C. Dement, MD, PhD, the Dean of Sleep Disorders Research and Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, states: "Americans have gotten the message that good nutritionand plenty of exercise are important for health, but we have not paid enough attention to the third pillar of good health, which is adequate sleep."

Why Is Sleep So Important?

We need good sleep to thrive. Sleep is important because it affects our mental, physical, and emotional well-being. The benefits of good sleep can affect every moment of our day and every part of our life. Achieving good sleep is essential to both our activities and to our health. Also, as bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts know, during your sleep is one of the times that your body produces the most growth hormone, therefore the more sleep you get the faster your muscles will heal and recover from exercise.

The Effects Of Sleep Loss

Sleep Loss and Health
Sleep loss may be associated with significant health problems, such as:

• Depression: Several studies have shown that sleep loss isn't just a result of mental health problems; it can be a significant risk for the development of depression.
• Headaches: Headaches can interfere with sleep, but sleep loss can also provoke headaches.
  
• Impaired Heart Functioning: People with disrupted sleep schedules, such as shift workers, may be more prone to cardiovascular problems.

Sleep Loss and Functioning
Sleep loss can impair our functioning in many ways. It can affect us at:

• Work: People with sleep loss reported poor concentration, lower productivity, and poorer work quality. It has been estimated that lost productivity at work due to sleepiness at work may cost the economy as much as $100 billion annually.
• School: Sleep loss can interfere with memory, logical reasoning, and concentration.
• Home: By making us fatigued, irritable, or forgetful, sleep loss can lead to stress and strained relationships.

How To Improve Sleep Quality

You can improve the quality of your sleep by following these recommendations:

• Establish relaxing pre-sleep routines. It is important to incorporate time to "wind down" from your daily activities.
• Minimize light, noise, and temperature extremes in the bedroom.
• Avoid large meals just before bedtime. Small snacks are not a problem, but large meals keep the digestive system active and can disrupt sleep.
• Avoid strenuous exercise within two to three hours of bedtime. Strenuous exercise can elevate body temperature and cause difficulty falling asleep at bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine or other stimulants within four hours of bedtime.

How Do You Know If You Need More Sleep?

You know you need more sleep if you:

• Have trouble concentrating and remembering.
• Sometimes lose your sense of humor.
• Work in a stressful environment.
• Are tempted to doze in boring meetings.
• Hit the snooze button repeatedly in the morning.
• Have reduced immunity to disease and viral infections.
• Feel chilled.
• Struggle to get out of bed in the morning.
• Have mood shifts, feel depressed or irritable.
• Experience weight gain.
• Fall asleep watching TV.
• Sleep late on weekends.
• Think that a Saturday afternoon nap is a necessity, not just a luxury.

How Much Sleep Is Needed?

The amount of sleep each person needs depends on many factors, including age. Infants generally require about 16 hours a day, while teenagers need about 9 hours on average. For most adults, 7 to 8 hours a night appears to be the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as 5 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day.

However, getting too little sleep creates a "sleep debt," which is much like being overdrawn at a bank. Eventually, your body will demand that the debt be repaid. We don't seem to adapt to getting less sleep than we need; while we may get used to a sleep-depriving schedule, our judgment, reaction time, and other functions are still impaired.

Conclusion

Definitely we can see how important sleep is! Just to summarize, we see that that sleep can prevent health problems and working problems such as concentration and thinking ability, just to name a few. So remember to never underestimate how important a good nights rest is!

The Benefit's Of Good Night Sleep

It's no secret that a full night of uninterrupted slumber can make things much easier for us the following day.

Because after all, when we sleep well, we're much more inclined to live well. Healthy sleep finds us more alert, more refreshed, more productive and most certainly more responsive.

Getting the rest we need keeps our eyes bright and our energy levels high. Moreover, sleep is an integral element of training. Without enough, your body simply won't have the time or biological resources to reach its full potential.

Sadly, getting a good night's sleep isn't always as easy as it sounds.

We're often quick to forget that while we sleep, there's a lot going on. As we slip into our nightly nocturne, our body continues on as if it were business as usual.

The cardiovascular system pumps and circulates the blood we need to live. Thebrain keeps busy by sending millions of neurotransmissions every second. The metabolic system continues to convert calories into the energy that makes this never-ending series of biological processes possible.

But the benefits of a good night's sleep extend far beyond how well we're able to function the following day. Because the simple truth is that the quality of our days is often heavily influenced by the quality of our nights. I'll explain.

10 Health Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep

1. Sleep Keeps Your Heart Healthy

Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

2. Sleep May Prevent Cancer

People working the late shift have a higher risk for breast and colon cancer. Researchers believe this link is caused by differing levels of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night. Light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that both makes us sleepy and is thought to protect against cancer. Melatonin appears to suppress the growth of tumors. Be sure that your bedroom is dark to help your body produce the melatonin it needs.

3. Sleep Reduces Stress

When your body is sleep deficient, it goes into a state of stress. The body's functions are put on high alert which causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones. Higher blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, unfortunately, make it harder for you to sleep. Learn relaxation techniques to counter the effects of stress. There are also stress reduction techniques for sleep.

4. Sleep Reduces Inflammation

The increase in stress hormones raises the level of inflammation in your body, also creating more risk for heart-related conditions, as well as cancer and diabetes. Inflammation is thought to one of the causes of the deterioration of your body as you age.

5. Sleep Makes You More Alert

Of course, a good night's sleep makes you feel energized and alert the next day. Being engaged and active not only feels great, it increases your chances for another good night's sleep. When you wake up feeling refreshed, use that energy to get out into the daylight, do active things, and be engaged in your world. You'll sleep better the next night and increase your daily energy level.

6. Sleep Bolsters Your Memory

Researchers do not fully understand why we sleep and dream, but a process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep. While your body may be resting, your brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. Your dreams and deep sleep are an important time for your brain to make memories and links. Getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better.

7. Sleep May Help You Lose Weight

Researchers have also found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. It is thought that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. So if you are interested in controlling or losing weight, don't forget to pay attention to getting a good night's sleep.

8. Naps Make You Smarter

Napping during the day is not only an effective and refreshing alternative to caffeine, it can also protect your health and make you more productive. A study of 24,000 Greek adults showed that people who napped several times a week had a lower risk for dying from heart disease. People who nap at work have much lower levels of stress. Napping also improves memory, cognitive function and mood.

9. Sleep May Reduce Your Risk for Depression

Sleep impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression. You can help to prevent depression by making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep, between 7 and 9 hours each night.

10. Sleep Helps the Body Make Repairs

Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage.