Health Benefits Of Sleeping Well
Do you know the benefits of sleeping well? Did you know that resting regulates your body temperature, consolidates your memory and allows you to eliminate free radicals accumulated during the day?
Keep reading and you will know the health benefits of sleeping well. In this article we detail the phases of sleep and their impact on our entire body.
The dream
Sleep is a behavioral and physiological state during which the body rests. Behavioral because, when you sleep, there is a decrease in motor activity, you look for a specific posture and you tend to choose a place with little lighting and a low noise level.
Physiological, because during sleep there are variations in the secretion of certain hormones, metabolism and cardiovascular, respiratory and thermoregulatory functions. In addition, five stages of the transition from wakefulness to sleep can be differentiated:
Phase I: Drowsiness or drowsiness
Those first moments when we feel like falling asleep are the first phase. Drowsiness is the transition from wakefulness to sleep.
- Muscle tone decreases and slow eye movements appear intermittently.
Phase II: Light sleep
The second phase is rather characterized by a type of light sleep. During this period , the activity of neurons begins to synchronize.
- It is possible that you wake up easily and the next day you do not remember what happened.
Phase III and Phase IV: Slow or deep sleep
The period of deep sleep is the time when the typical gastrointestinal movement of digestion increases. Also, blood pressure and heart rate decrease.
This is also the time when growth hormone secretion peaks. In addition, the production of gonadotropic hormones that regulate the secretion of testosterone in men and progesterone in women is increased.
Phase V: Paradoxical Dream
This is the stage in which it is dreamed, although it gives us the impression that it occurs throughout the night. Changes in body temperature also occur and prolactin secretion, related to sex hormones, increases.
Sleep needs vary throughout people’s lives. Adults, for example, need between 6 and 8 hours of sleep a day.
Health benefits of sleeping well
Makes you happy
Are you too negative a person in your day to day? You should know that a good night’s sleep can make you wake up with a great feeling of personal satisfaction and, therefore, more prone to optimism.
In fact, people who suffer from sleep disorders, such as insomnia, are more likely to experience low moods compared to people who sleep well. So getting a good rest is great therapy. According to multiple articles, the relationship between mental disorders and sleep disorders is well documented, and the link between insomnia, depression and anxiety mainly stands out .
Prevents overweight
In this study carried out by four members of the Research Group of the Nutrition Department of the Complutense University of Madrid, sleep is considered a risk factor for the development of obesity and overweight. It is claimed that resting between 8 and 9 hours is the value least associated with suffering from obesity and, therefore, the preferred range.
Boost your performance at work
Not getting enough sleep can affect your work. If you spend several nights without resting with the appropriate quantity and quality, you will surely experience a lack of concentration and attention and even minor memory alterations, as this article published in the Journal of Pulmonology and Thorax Surgery assures .
During the rest period, the brain rearranges the information received during the day and consolidates memory. If you want to be alert and have an injection of creativity you need to sleep well.
Fill your body with energy
Have you not felt that when you sleep well you wake up with a lot of energy to start the day? On the other hand, sleeping less or even more, hurts us.
In fact, according to an article published in the Colombian Journal of Psychology , people who sleep less than 4 hours have a higher risk of suffering an early death.
Lack of sleep can affect metabolic energy production and nutrient absorption. Therefore, instead of taking stimulants, prioritize a good rest.
Keeps your heart healthy
According to the Spanish Sleep Society, people with deep, uninterrupted sleep experience lower rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic diseases. Therefore, it directly influences the heart.
Even 45-minute naps can have a positive influence on the cardiovascular system. Avoid stress that triggers lack of sleep and take care of your health.
