5 Reasons You Need More Sleep
Somehow, our society has got it all half-assed backwards when it comes to sleep. How often do you hear people bragging about pulling all-nighters, or saying things like, “I only need 5 hours of sleep a night,” or “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”?
That is backwards. Your body needs sleep. There are so many benefits to sleep, but I’m just going to give you five of them (and I really think that these five are compelling reasons to tuck yourself in a little earlier tonight).
You Will Look Better
Isn’t that enough of a reason to get 7-9 hours of sleep, on average? Who wants to walk around with big puffy circles under their eyes every day? Not me!
Sleep has a Major Impact on Weight Maintenance
There are two regulatory hormones in our bodies that are majorly impacted by sleep deprivation. Ghrelin tells your body when to eat. If you don’t get enough sleep, this hormone increases. Leptin tells you when to stop eating. If you don’t get enough sleep, leptin levels go down!
So imagine that you’re running on 3 hours of sleep, you’ve got ghrelin telling you it’s time to eat all day, and leptin is slacking off so you’re eating way too much. It’s like these little monsters are trying to get you to eat, eat, eat!
Getting enough sleep will really help you eat the right amount of food. And eating the right types and amounts of food can also help you sleep better at night.
You Will Think More Clearly
It’s just a fact that when you’re tired, your brain cannot function as well. We all know it! If you’re not a morning person and you force yourself to take morning classes, you’ll certainly feel it. Or, if you’re tired in the afternoon and you’re trying to think, it doesn’t work as well.
You’re More Pleasant to be Around
Quite frankly, you’re much more pleasant to be around when you’re well rested. If you don’t get enough sleep, you’re just going to be tired, grumpy, and moody. God forbid I get between you and the potato chips!
Life Sucks When You’re Tired
I don’t know how else to say that! Sure, there will be days when you’re more tired than usual, but you don’t want “tired” to be your average running pace through life. Do you really want to drive your car in 1st gear every day? No! Let’s get this thing on the superhighway of fun!
Okay, so let’s say you’re having trouble sleeping. Here are five tips to help you sleep better tonight:
- Meditate before bed. It will clear your head and calm down your whole system.
- Stop drinking caffeine after mid-afternoon. Caffeine blocks your “sleep receptors,” and keeps your brain whirling all night long, so kick that late afternoon coffee habit to sleep peacefully.
- Do not watch TV in bed. Sleep experts say that it’s hard to get to sleep if your television is flashing lights in your face just before bedtime, especially if you’re watching violent or intense programs.
- Sleep at temperatures between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit. Experts say that this is the best temperature range to get the deepest sleep.
- Buy the best bed you can afford. A good mattress makes all the difference!
Alright, friends, time to get some beauty rest!