Sleep

Sleep is just as important to our overall health as exercise and a good diet. Unfortunately, as a culture, we are sleeping less and less because we are up late at night doing things like work that we left at the last minute, or surfing the internet when we should be asleep.

When we sleep, the body releases hormones that relax our muscles and slows our breathing. This process is the body’s way of healing itself from the wear and tear that we put on it when we are awake. While we are awake and our brain is functioning on all cylinders, gunk accumulates within the cells of the brain – this “gunk” has been linked with Alzheimer’s disease. When we sleep, the body sweeps this gunk off of the brain to keep things in order. Now you can imagine that someone who does not get a suitable amount of sleep will accumulate this gunk on their brains little by little and will most likely have memory issues in the future. Adequate sleep is also good for the skin because, during sleep, the body delivers essential fluids organs and tissues in need of replenishment while removing excess fluids from other areas which is why someone who does not sleep well may have bags under their eyes and or frequent acne flare-ups. Our immune system relies on sleep to fight off harmful substances.

Sleep also helps with a positive attitude, according to the Chicago Tribune, studies show that depression is common in people who see for less than 7 hours a night.

So how much should we sleep? Professionals say that young adults and adults should be sleeping for 7-9 hours per night (i wish) but since most of us may not have that luxury due to school and maybe work, we should at least aim for 6 hours at the very least. We owe it to our bodies to make the effort.

Check out these links to learn more: