We’ve dwelled enough on the pitfalls of shortchanging your sleep, whether you do so consciously or because of a physical problem. So if you manage to sleep more, say seven to eight hours a night, what are the benefits?
Indeed, there are a bunch of them, including a better sex life. Let’s take a look:
- Better health chances: Sleeping soundly at night doesn’t provide a deterrent to health issues per se, but sleeping poorly definitely increases your chances of facing poorer health results, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
- Better sex life: Being tired can make an active sex life more difficult, for sure, so having the energy for your partner because of a good night’s consistent sleep is important. “If you’re a 28-year-old who’s so exhausted you’re falling asleep during a date at the movies, that’s not good,” says Ronald Kramer, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and a specialist at the Colorado Sleep Disorders Center in Englewood, Colo.
- Less pain: If you’ve been injured, good rest is essential for recovery, so if the pain of your injury is preventing you from sleeping well, consult a health professional for a pain-plus-sleep medicinal regimen that will provide you with your eight good ones.
- Reduced risk of injury: The Exxon Valdez and Challenger tragedies have both been linked to sleep deprivation, and overall, your potential for injury increases as you lose out on a good night’s sleep. The Institute of Medicine estimates that one in five auto accidents in the U.S. results from drowsy driving — and that totals about 1 million crashes a year.
- A better disposition: A good night’s sleep won’t turn a curmudgeon into Pollyanna, but a bad night’s sleep can definitely deprive a person of the energy and sunniness to enjoy the day’s activities.
- Clearer thinking and a stronger memory: Good sleep definitely allows the brain to process everything it’s endured for the day and refreshes you for the next day’s challenges. With your brain and its cognitive functioning fulfilled and refreshed from sound sleeping, you can indeed think more clearly and remember more clearly as well.
- A boost in the immunity system: Sound sleep produces the hormones essential to boost your natural immunity, whereas sleep deprivation robs you of all the immune power available to you.
In short, if you’re not getting a good night’s sleep most if not all nights, you need to figure out what’s preventing that and take steps toward proper sleep hygiene and excellent sleep results. If need be, certainly seek the help of a sleep professional.
