Sleep

philcycle12
philcycle12 Posts: 17 Member
edited November 2024 in Getting Started
Does getting the right amount of sleep per night help with overall health and wellness.

Replies

  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    Sleep is necessary, but getting too much or too little is detrimental to health and wellness. Therefore getting the 'right amount' is helpful by definition.

    The challenge is figuring out what the 'right amount' is.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    When I'm lacking sleep I tend to choose high calorie, low nutrient foods and feel less energetic for working out. So, for me, sleep is important.
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    I would say yes. There is a lot of research that shows lack of sleep can contribute to numerous health issues.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    philcycle12 wrote: »
    Does getting the right amount of sleep per night help with overall health and wellness.

    Yes. The right amount can differ by person but getting too little sleep or poor quality can definitely impact your health in all kinds of ways.
    https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency
  • Wendyanneroberts
    Wendyanneroberts Posts: 270 Member
    Definitely, but does differ from person to person.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited July 2018
    I don't want to look up the studies (feel lazy this morning) but I think not only the right amount of sleep but also consistency in the Circadian Rhythm seems important to me. I'm daily amazed at how my dogs (I have 3 dogs, 2 cats) wake me up at 5:49, even on the weekends. I think your internal alarm clock is amazing. Anyone that doubts this is denying "jet lag". Makes you feel like garbage for two days. I don't know how I did it when I was young (staying up till 2 or 3 AM) and then going to work the next day. I'm sure not well! I think you can sleep the same amount as someone else but if it's not at the same time of day daily, it can mess you up too.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    Sleep = recovery. Nuff said! Everyone is going to have different requirements. But, generally speaking, heck yeah!
  • beachgirl1130
    beachgirl1130 Posts: 15 Member
    Oh yes
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    It is critically important - many disorders are directly linked to lack of sleep and the effects can be minimized simply by getting sufficient sleep. The sleep cycle is a necessary "detox" cycle the brain must go through.

    My wife is reading "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker, PhD and this is next up on my reading list.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    It's more important to your health than the food choices you make.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    It is critically important - many disorders are directly linked to lack of sleep and the effects can be minimized simply by getting sufficient sleep. The sleep cycle is a necessary "detox" cycle the brain must go through.

    My wife is reading "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker, PhD and this is next up on my reading list.
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    It's more important to your health than the food choices you make.

    100% agree with both of these statements. I'm a 8-10hr gal. My body and mind definitely let me know when I'm not getting enough sleep.

    My son was recently diagnosed with narcolepsy. His disordered sleep has drastically affected his life from symptoms of ADD and depression to suicidal thoughts and inability to hold a job.

    Sufficient GOOD sleep IMO is the most critical physical and mental health factor that people should concentrate on first.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    Yeah....
  • jdubois5351
    jdubois5351 Posts: 460 Member
    Just how important sleep is to overall wellness, that's something I'm experiencing in the last 8 months or so. Thanks to this wonderful thing called pre-menopause, my sleep has suffered immensely. I was always a sound sleeper, I fell asleep easily, I almost always slept through the night and woke up every day pretty much well rested. No more. I have a very hard time falling asleep (I'm taking melatonin for that) and I usually wake up a couple times every night. I'm wide awake at around 4.30-5am, no matter when I go to bed. The alarm goes off at 5.50 am. And I feel horrible; I really know now, why sleep deprivation is considered a form of torture. I've tried everything. Warm bed room, cold bedroom, window open, window closed, read before bed time or not, eat something before bed, going to be hungry - I've even taken a sleep apnea test (I don't have a problem). Absolutely nothing helps. My memory and my performance at work are really suffering because I'm so damn tired all of the time. Physically, this is by far the worst thing that has ever happened to me.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    Yes. I really think sleep is undervalued. I can't function well without a good amount of sleep. I wish I could get by with less.

    I think many people have gotten used to functioning on little sleep, 5 or 6 hours that it is normal for them but it is not enough for optimum healing and functioning. Too little sleep ages you more quickly. I would rather get good sleep than get up early to workout.
  • Courtscan2
    Courtscan2 Posts: 501 Member
    Yes!! Although the older I get, the harder quality sleep is. I could blame my young kids up until a couple of years ago, but they are old enough to not disturb me during the night anymore, so thinking it's probably just how life is past 40 at this stage....
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    I don't want to look up the studies (feel lazy this morning) but I think not only the right amount of sleep but also consistency in the Circadian Rhythm seems important to me. I'm daily amazed at how my dogs (I have 3 dogs, 2 cats) wake me up at 5:49, even on the weekends. I think your internal alarm clock is amazing. Anyone that doubts this is denying "jet lag". Makes you feel like garbage for two days. I don't know how I did it when I was young (staying up till 2 or 3 AM) and then going to work the next day. I'm sure not well! I think you can sleep the same amount as someone else but if it's not at the same time of day daily, it can mess you up too.

    I think the significance of this is often overlooked. I have observed in my own body that *when* I sleep makes as much difference as how much. Different people have different circadian rhythms. One of my best friends is a morning person. If she stays up past 8:30 at night she suffers. I'm a night person. If I sleep from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM I simply will not be as rested as if I'd slept from midnight to 8:00 AM.
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