For this month’s Sarah’s Two Cents, I want to talk about WHY sleep is important – not just that it is!
As a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, one of the main questions I get asked is, “Why do I feel so awful so often?” And the answer, for many of us, is that we aren’t getting enough sleep!
Did you know that lack of sleep:
- Decreases your ability to remember things and to problem solve
- Increases your irritability and anxiety
- One poor night of sleep dramatically affects mood the next day!
- Lowers your immune system, making you more likely to get sick
- Decreases your balance
- Makes you more prone to accidents
- Can affect weight gain
- Lowers sex drive
- Makes you more at risk for chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes
When you sleep, your body does amazing things!
Sleep and mental health go hand-in-hand. Good sleep leads to more mental stability and increased positive mood. When mood and energy are increased, we have better habits such as exercise, a better outlook, and better relationships! It also allows us to roll with changes much more easily without panic and irritability.
Sleep also improves memory and problem solving. If you feel “smarter” on days after a good night’s sleep, you actually are!
Our body literally repairs itself in a variety of ways during sleep, including:
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- Muscle repair
- Protein synthesis
- Tissue growth
- Hormone release
- Immune system function increase
Sleep also helps you maintain a healthy body weight.
So how many hours of sleep should I be Getting?
It is recommended that teens aged 13-18 should get 8-10 hours of sleep, while adults should get at least 7-8 hours of sleep.