7 Ways to Get a Better Night’s Sleep
Sleep is a crucial activity that we all need to maintain. It helps us to recover from the day’s activities, prevent illness, and improve our cognitive function. But getting enough sleep isn’t always easy, especially in our fast-paced and often stressful lives. Fortunately, there are a number of products to help you get a better night’s rest.
1. A Good Night’s Sleep is Vital for Mental Health and Physical Well-being
Most people are aware of the fact that they need 8 hours of sleep per night to feel their best, but a lack of sleep can take a toll on our health. Not only does a lack of sleep make us feel tired, but it can also increase our risk for mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.
2. The Brain Needs Sleep to Reorganize and Repair itself
A lot of research has focused on the brain, but we don’t have a clear understanding of how the brain works when we sleep. The good news is that scientists are making some interesting discoveries about the brain’s role in sleep and how it affects our well-being.
3. Sleep is Necessary for Immunity, Cardiometabolic Health, and Weight Loss
We know that sleep is a critical component of our overall health, but we don’t fully understand its role in protecting the body against disease. One study found that sleep boosts the immune system and increases our ability to fight off illness.
4. A Healthy Diet Can Promote a Good Night’s Sleep
We all know that eating right can lead to healthier bodies and minds. However, not everyone knows that the foods we eat and the sleep we get influence how our body responds to stress and illness.
5. Sleep is a Vital Part of the Hormone Cycle
Our hormones help control the growth and development of our bodies, and when they’re not working at full capacity, we can become overweight, sick or develop other issues. Scientists have found that there are a number of factors that impact our hormones, including dietary habits and sleep patterns.
6. The Circadian Clock is Key to Sleep Patterning
Our bodies are designed to follow a certain schedule of sleep and wakefulness. Our biological clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, governs growth, reproductive cycles and aging. The biological clock and the sleep-wake cycle are closely linked, so it’s important to stay in sync with these rhythms.
7. Dreaming is a Major Part of Sleep
During REM sleep (rapid eye movement), your dreams are mostly visual, but you can dream in other sleep stages as well. Some people may dream about strange or terrifying things, called nightmares. Others might have sudden muscle contractions that healthcare providers call hypnic jerks.
8. Our Bodies Benefit From Good Sleep
There are a number of different theories about the role sleep plays in our health. Some of them suggest that sleep is used to conserve energy or to reorganize and replace chemicals in the body. But the most popular theory is that sleep is essential for our mental and physical well-being.