How does sleep keep you healthy?

Most people can recognise the short-term rewards of engaging in a satisfactory slumber, but there are a whole multitude of other benefits that sleep can also provide. Not only can it play a part in helping your physical health, but it can also contribute towards a healthy mind, ensuring that your well-being is in tip-top form.

You spend so much of your time in a state of dormancy, and the reasons for this is so that your mind and body can prepare itself for the upcoming day. It does this by working to support healthy brain function.

So, what can sleep do for your physical health?

Research indicates that a lack of sleep can increase your risk of serious health issues, including diabetes, obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure. This is due to the wondrous healing properties that sleep provides your heart with. A healthy heart equals a happy one.

If you’ve ever wondered why your brain appears a little reminiscent of a sieve on any given day, it could be that you simply haven’t endured enough sleep the night before. Certain studies have highlighted that as we bed down for the day, our brains are able to process the relevant memories. So if you haven’t captured the required levels of sleep, forgetfulness could well prevail the next day.

If you find yourself catching every cold going but are stocked up with enough Vitamin C you can shake an orange at, you’ve guessed it – sleep could be to blame.

Research has shown that getting eight hours of sleep a night can help to support a strong immune system, meaning stronger physical health.

How can sleep help with a healthy mind?

Studies indicate that learning is improved during a good night’s sleep. So if you’ve just started a new job and are being bombarded with information, or have decided to tackle the trombone, or master that all-important driving test, sleep could well be the key for success.

Getting enough sleep can also assist with emotional well-being as a lack of it can often present itself in the form of irritability, mood swings and can even cause mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression to worsen.

Sleep can help you to streamline information, making better-informed decisions, and it can even help your imaginative side to flourish. Creativity – here you come.