"I can survive on 6 hours of sleep." Statements like these often lead you down a path of not taking proper care of yourself. And you don't even know it.
Here's the thing. Sleep's impact on the body is something we have studied vigorously. So vigorously that we have hard evidence on how sleep can impact the body and why 8 hours a night is truly critical. Can you honestly say that you are getting enough shut-eye each night? And are you truly prioritising those hours of snooze over that time doom-scrolling on your phone?
We know. It can be so tempting to sacrifice an hour. But an hour less per night truly adds up.
Not sure why 8 hours of sleep is super critical? We've detailed it below.
Great sleep can improve your physical health
8 hours of sleep a night is what you truly need to feel revitalised. This means that without eight hours, your body is likely feeling sluggish, flat, and unmotivated. You might have more time in the day, but you are likely to spend this lounging around being unproductive. Trust us. It's in the research.
With enough sleep, you'll have the natural energy to achieve more throughout your day. This includes your work and your chores. But, it also includes your exercise. This is because you'll both wake up with the energy for those early morning workouts and finish your day with enough energy for your end-of-day commitments.
It's not just in the energy levels, though. Sleep reduces ghrelin levels, and sleep deprivation raises them. To explain, this hormone is the one that makes you feel hungry. Essentially, the more tired you are, the more this hormone tries to fill the energy void by telling you that it's time to eat. With more sleep, you feel less inclined to eat and snack unnecessarily, helping you better regulate your weight.
Great sleep improves your emotions
There's nothing worse than having an off day where you're forced to socialise when you don't want to. But, what if we told you that you don't need to have these days frequently? Sure, they'll still occur. We're all human. However, with enough sleep, they're less likely to occur sporadically.
This is because when you have enough sleep, you can regulate your emotions better. This means, even if you don't want to be in a social situation or you are not feeling 'up' to something, you're less likely to feel angered, annoyed or upset about it. Essentially, sleep helps you bounce back. Plus, sleep allows you to better respond to social cues that may occur in these social situations, meaning you get a better read on the scenarios, allowing you to respond better, form better relationships and foster improved emotional/social health.
Great sleep helps you think better.
We all have to think every day. In work, in the decisions we make and in the social interactions we have. Have you felt like you're experiencing brain fog? This is likely because you're feeling fatigued or energy drained, which is impacting the clarity of your mind.
Sleeping enough has been shown to improve focus, reduce your risk of errors and allow you to truly switch on when the moment calls for it. It can also help you make quicker decisions, which can be critical in high-intensity or high-stress scenarios, many of which we will all deal with throughout our lives.
Great sleep reduces the risk of diseases.
Adequate and quality sleep ensures that your body and cells have what they require to repair and heal overnight. Beyond this, it helps your immune system do its job correctly, meaning you reduce your risk of diseases and are more likely to recover from illnesses quicker.
While there are a range of diseases that sleep can assist in reducing, some of the most researched include heart disease, brain disease, high blood pressure, stroke risk and diseases brought about as a result of infections.
I struggle to stay asleep - what do I do?
For many people, the struggle with getting a good sleep isn't falling asleep. It's staying asleep. If this is starting to impact your quality of life, it's critical that you make changes that can ensure you fall into a longer, deeper sleep more often. Some strategies that we love include creating an environment that is cool, dark and quiet, ensuring your bedding is comfortable, staying away from screens for at least an hour before bed, exercising adequately, and trying aromatherapy with scents that are known to deepen sleep.
We recommend that you also remove clocks from your room while you're trying to establish a good sleep pattern. Doing this means that you won't become frustrated with the time if you've woken up in the middle of the night. Instead, you can head back to sleep. If you need an alarm, make sure your clock or phone is left out of reach. This way, you won't be tempted.
The Jomeis Fine Foods Is Here To Help
Great sleep starts with great nutrition. At Jomeis Fine Foods, we’re passionate about creating nourishing foods and drinks that easily fit into your daily routine, helping you elevate your diet and, in turn, your wellbeing. Make the switch, and feel the difference. Your body (and your sleep) will thank you.
