You NEED Some Sleep...for More Reasons than you Knew. 

Quick Quiz: How often do you ever let your cellphone run down to the point it has Zero per cent charge? Hardly ever? But how many times have you neglected to get yourself a proper night’s sleep, so you could recharge?

Maybe some people value their phones more than their health. Here are a few other reasons why a change in those priorities could be overdue...

You Will Look Better

Appearance might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but this applies to a lot more than avoiding the ‘baggy-eyes’ look. Researchers have discovered that people who sleep fewer hours per night are more prone to obesity. Levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, the organic gatekeepers to your appetite, become unbalanced when you don’t give your body that consistent ‘downtime’ for maintenance.

You Will Be Happier

Another chemical you want working for you is serotonin. People with serotonin deficiencies are more likely to suffer from depression. Serotonin is literally telling your entire body, ‘You are Happy and Safe’. Let those messages get through...

The Body Heals (if you let it)

As mentioned, there’s a lot of positive maintenance being done during sleep. That’s when the body is repairing damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays, and other harmful exposure. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping, and that’s what forms the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair the damage. Basically this is the pit crew of your own Indy 500 race car, working as efficiently as possible to keep you on the proverbial road.

You Will Think Better

Researchers are still discovering some of the physiological benefits of dreaming, but they already know a process called memory consolidation is simultaneously occurring. Think of it like your own internal office manager, tidying up all the separate items on your mental Desktop; reviewing the day’s events, making connections between events, and processing your feelings. A truly deep sleep is when your brain can thoroughly collate these memories and links.

Even a nap can assist. One study revealed that people who did not nap or took naps shorter than an hour were four to six times more prone to mental lapses. People who nap at work display lower levels of stress, along with improved cognitive function, and mood. (Possibly a good idea to clear any nap with your supervisor first, we’d suggest.)

A Better Heartbeat

More heart attacks and strokes are likely to occur during the early morning hours, most likely due to how the blood vessels are regulated during sleep. Worsening blood pressure and cholesterol problems are markers for future risk factors like heart disease and stroke.

Better Sleep = Less Chance of Cancer

For some time, doctors have known that shift workers have a higher risk of colon and breast cancer. Melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle, is thought to protect against cancer as it appears to suppress the growth of tumors.

More Sleep = Less Stress

Think about it: sleep-deprival is used in interrogation and torture, because it’s damaging on so many levels. The nervous system responds to sleep-deficiency by moving into a state of stress, like summoning your body’s own crisis-responders, in this case, stress hormones and a heightened blood pressure. Not only does this heighten the chances of heart attack and stroke, but the stress hormones make it harder to fall asleep. Plus those stress hormones have been linked to inflammation, exacerbating the body’s deterioration as we age.

You deserve the gift of a good night’s sleep, Every night. Let the Futon Shop show you how. We’ve been supplying quality futons to Ottawa, Calgary and of course, Burlington.