Five Reasons to Get More Sleep Tonight
Hearts_2015
Posts: 12,031 Member
Five Reasons to Get More Sleep Tonight:yawn:
Did you get your beauty sleep last night? It’s not just an old adage; adequate sleep can actually improve your appearance, according to a British study on the subject. But that’s not the only reason to get some shut-eye. Sleep is an important tool for health, fitness, and longevity. Just check out these five reasons to tuck in early tonight.
1. Sleep makes you happier. Sleep is a virtual “reset” button for our bodies, recalibrating the functioning of the nervous system. Sleep also impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including Serotonin, which is linked to depression. Getting between seven to nine hours of sleep each night can regulate your chemical balance and combat those blues.
2. Sleep makes you smarter! Research has shown that every hour of sleep lost below eight consecutive hours represents the loss of approximately one point on a person’s IQ, and that children perform better on IQ tests after adequate sleep than without it. Napping during the day can also protect your health and make you more productive. Napping also improves memory, cognitive function and mood.
3. Sleep helps you lose weight. Lack of sleep affects how your body processes food and can lead to unnecessary weight gain. When your body is not adequately rested, the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which regulates appetite, become imbalanced and disrupted. This can lead to mixed messages in your brain about your level of hunger and also lead to stress, which can cause you to overeat. Sleep also helps your body burn fat. In a recent study at the University of Chicago, participants spent four weeks in a sleep lab while following a reduced calorie diet, sleeping 8.5 hours a night for two weeks and 5.5 hours a night for the remainder. The makeup of weight they lost changed as their sleep habits did: the more sleep they got, the more fat they burned. When sleep-deprived, their bodies turned to burning muscle instead of fat. If weight loss is one of your goals, sleep should be part of your strategy!
4. Sleep helps you live longer. Research has shown that getting enough sleep can have an influence on your lifespan and protect you from heart disease and stroke. Sleep can even trump healthy habits, exercise, and genetics! After your workout and day of healthy nutrition, getting some shut-eye can take your wellness, and quality of life, to the next level.
5. Sleep keeps you healthy and safe.Sleep deprivation can leave you more susceptible to illness by lowering your immune system. A significant lack of sleep can have similar effects as alcohol, causing you to have delayed reactions and impaired decision-making. Getting behind the wheel of a car, operating a machine, or even attempting a vigorous workout can lead to injury and even tragedy if you aren’t careful.
Life is stressful, but sleep can help manage it. Set a regular bed time and stick to it, even on the weekends. Avoid caffeine late in the day and unplug from technology such as computer screens and smart phones before bed. And finally, remind yourself frequently of the power of sleep: your health, safety, fitness, and brain power all depend on it!
http://www.examiner.com/healthy-living-in-tallahassee/five-reasons-to-get-more-sleep-tonight
Did you get your beauty sleep last night? It’s not just an old adage; adequate sleep can actually improve your appearance, according to a British study on the subject. But that’s not the only reason to get some shut-eye. Sleep is an important tool for health, fitness, and longevity. Just check out these five reasons to tuck in early tonight.
1. Sleep makes you happier. Sleep is a virtual “reset” button for our bodies, recalibrating the functioning of the nervous system. Sleep also impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including Serotonin, which is linked to depression. Getting between seven to nine hours of sleep each night can regulate your chemical balance and combat those blues.
2. Sleep makes you smarter! Research has shown that every hour of sleep lost below eight consecutive hours represents the loss of approximately one point on a person’s IQ, and that children perform better on IQ tests after adequate sleep than without it. Napping during the day can also protect your health and make you more productive. Napping also improves memory, cognitive function and mood.
3. Sleep helps you lose weight. Lack of sleep affects how your body processes food and can lead to unnecessary weight gain. When your body is not adequately rested, the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which regulates appetite, become imbalanced and disrupted. This can lead to mixed messages in your brain about your level of hunger and also lead to stress, which can cause you to overeat. Sleep also helps your body burn fat. In a recent study at the University of Chicago, participants spent four weeks in a sleep lab while following a reduced calorie diet, sleeping 8.5 hours a night for two weeks and 5.5 hours a night for the remainder. The makeup of weight they lost changed as their sleep habits did: the more sleep they got, the more fat they burned. When sleep-deprived, their bodies turned to burning muscle instead of fat. If weight loss is one of your goals, sleep should be part of your strategy!
4. Sleep helps you live longer. Research has shown that getting enough sleep can have an influence on your lifespan and protect you from heart disease and stroke. Sleep can even trump healthy habits, exercise, and genetics! After your workout and day of healthy nutrition, getting some shut-eye can take your wellness, and quality of life, to the next level.
5. Sleep keeps you healthy and safe.Sleep deprivation can leave you more susceptible to illness by lowering your immune system. A significant lack of sleep can have similar effects as alcohol, causing you to have delayed reactions and impaired decision-making. Getting behind the wheel of a car, operating a machine, or even attempting a vigorous workout can lead to injury and even tragedy if you aren’t careful.
Life is stressful, but sleep can help manage it. Set a regular bed time and stick to it, even on the weekends. Avoid caffeine late in the day and unplug from technology such as computer screens and smart phones before bed. And finally, remind yourself frequently of the power of sleep: your health, safety, fitness, and brain power all depend on it!
http://www.examiner.com/healthy-living-in-tallahassee/five-reasons-to-get-more-sleep-tonight
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Replies
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Thanks for sharing these. I needed the reminder. Now, to put it to good use in my life.
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Ohh thanks for reminding it again! Although i am way out of limits these days
Sleeping too much and that too on EST timezones (I live in London! but living virtually in USA ) :bigsmile: :bigsmile: 0 -
Great info. Thanks for sharing. My sleep schedule way, way off since I retired! Short daytime naps turned to long naps (2 - 3 hours!) & thus interrupted night time sleeps. Now I limit nap time!0
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Now, can someone remind me to DO THIS each night? :noway: :blushing:
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Awesome article! I'm a huge fan of sleep. I didn't know about the fat vs muscle burning factor; that is so great to know. So does that mean if I sleep after I eat too much chocolate, I will wake up smart & skinny? :laugh:0
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Well, if you read it on the Net, you know it's gotta be true!:laugh:Awesome article! I'm a huge fan of sleep. I didn't know about the fat vs muscle burning factor; that is so great to know. So does that mean if I sleep after I eat too much chocolate, I will wake up smart & skinny? :laugh: 0 -
:yawn: bump for ME!:laugh:0
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I just copied and pasted this as a note into my Facebook page so I can find it easily and to share it with some friends who have not yet joined MFP.1
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Reason # 6 to get enough sleep
Because it FEELS SOoooooooooooo Good when you're rested!:yawn:
nighty night:smooched:0
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