Terri Ramsey Beavers Getting the recommended amount of sleep is one of the most important things you can do to improve and maintain your overall health. The body requires sleep for proper functioning and will slowly start to break down without it.
If you haven’t been sleeping well or just need some motivation to get in more zzzz’s, here are seven healthy benefits of getting enough sleep.
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Reduces Stress
Sleep reduces stress in the body. When you are properly rested, you are less emotionally reactive, sensitive to negative situations and less impulsive. You’re also less likely to feel as stressed throughout the day.
Tip: feeling stressed during the day? Take a nap! Even a quick nap can help ease your stress and promote relaxation.
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Reduces Pain
Did you know sleep is an effective painkiller? Getting enough sleep allows the body to increase your pain tolerance and decrease your sensitivity to pain. Your body is also more effective at releasing dopamine, a natural pain reliever.
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Better Memory
While you sleep, your brain goes through a process of memory consolidation, where your brain is strengthening memories and “practicing” skills that you have recently learned while you were awake. Sleep also helps you with your focus, recall, and concentration.
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Stronger Immune System
While you are sleeping, your body is hard at work restoring, repairing, and recovering. Part of this process is to release infection-fighting antibodies, proteins, and cells that help boost your immune system and strengthen your immune response so your body can fight off infection and inflammation.
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Better Athletic Performance
Sleep has a direct impact on athletic performance. Getting a good amount of sleep can result in:
- Improved split-second decision making
- Better accuracy
- More energy
- Faster speed
- Better coordination
- Better performance intensity
- Better focus
Many athletes consider sleep to be part of their training because the body repairs itself and recovers during sleep.
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Boosts Your Mood
Getting the recommended number of beneficial hours of sleep affects how much dopamine is released in your body. While dopamine is a natural painkiller, it’s also responsible for your willpower, and feelings of motivation and satisfaction.
Getting enough sleep will help boost your mood, manage your feelings and reduce mood swings.
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Reduces Inflammation
Reducing inflammation is essential to living a healthy life.
Heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, and many other health issues are caused by inflammation in the body. While eating health food is a great way to reduce inflammation, getting enough sleep is beneficial as well.
A lack of sleep causes pro-inflammation activity in the body.
It also affects your gut health, which results in inflammation as well as many other health issues. By sleeping the recommended amount, you can maintain a healthy gut and reduce pro-inflammation activity, thus reducing inflammation.
Healthy Benefits Of Sleep: The Bottom Line
The healthy benefits of getting enough sleep are many. The next time you are tempted to pull an all-nighter, remember why you can’t afford to skip out on sleeping.
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