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:

Sleep Needs

https://www.sleep.org/articles/how-sleep-improves-your-skin/

https://blogs.ohsu.edu/brain/2013/10/30/how-our-brains-wash-away-the-gunk-during-sleep/

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/advertising/marketplace/ct-ss-suburbs-four-crucial-ways-that-sleep-helps-the-body-to-heal-20180112dto-story.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-sleep-a6675861.html

Hello folks, and welcome to my first blog post.

Today we will discuss mental health. In my opinion, mental health is one of the most important pillars of our overall health. I feel that this topic is especially relevant to us as we are under a lot of stress due to all of the important decisions we will making over the next few months. Just think about it … by the end of June, we will be done with the emotional roller coaster of saying goodbye to all of the people who have made our years in high school fun, and where we will spend the next four years of our lives, be that right here in Miami or miles and miles away on our own. Of course that is all exciting but it is also quite stressful, and it is important that we make sure not to loose ourselves mentally in the process. We can avoid that by having some sort of [healthy] outlet to let go of our stress. The first and most simple way to do that is to have someone to vent to: a friend, a family member, a journal… in other words, a “person” for my fellow Grey’s Anatomy watchers. You can also use activities like sports, meditation, gardening etc… as an outlet for your stress, I personally want to start playing golf again because it is very calming. What you don’t want to do when under a ton of stress is resort to not so healthy coping methods like drinking because it is a quick fix and quick fixes never work in the long run.

Click this link to learn more about mental health: https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health