The Importance of Getting Some Sleep

By Marie Miguel

It’s been difficult for many of us to get sleep in the past year. From pandemic worries to financial problems, troubled sleep seems to affect us all.

However, getting some sleep is essential if you want to take care of yourself. In this post, we’ll talk about the importance of sleep.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Everyone is different, but the ballpark is 7-8 hours. Some may need a little more; others need a little less. However, getting that ballpark certainly is an excellent place to start.

Many of us don't get the sleep we need. There are only so many hours in the day, after all. We end up staying up late or having trouble falling asleep due to what's on our minds.

Here are some reasons why you should consider getting more sleep.

To Keep Your Weight in Check

Poor sleep can make you gain weight, putting you at risk for diabetes and heart disease issues.

The reason is that your body makes ghrelin, an appetite boosting hormone when you don't have enough. In addition, your body may lower its leptin production, which can indicate you're full. This means you may eat more.

To Improve Your Immunity

Sleep boosts your immunity by resting your immune cells. Not only that, but it may improve the effectiveness of vaccines, which is vital during the pandemic.

Heart Health

When you don't sleep enough, your body creates stress hormones such as cortisol. This can cause stress on your heart, so take a rest, and your heart will thank you for it later.

It Improves Your Focus

When you sleep, you may be more productive. Many of us like to romanticize all-nighters, but sleep is vital in helping you focus and improve your productivity. When you don’t get enough, you may feel a little scattershot, which can cause you to take longer to finish projects.

1. It Makes You Exercise Better

If you want to perform better, get some rest. Even if you are not a star athlete, a good night's rest can better your reaction time and energy.

Not to mention, working out may help you get a better night’s sleep. Usually, when we talk about insomnia, we mention vicious cycles, but this is a helpful cycle.

2. Helping You To Keep Your Mental Health Strong

In addition, sleep helps all aspects of your mind. Getting enough sleep boosts your memory and may help to reduce mental decline. Sleep may help with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

Of course, some mental problems can cause you to oversleep, such as depression. Balance is key.

3. How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

Of course, for many, sleep is easier said than done. We close our eyes, and nothing happens for a while. Then, when we are finally resting, it’s time to get up!

Having an occasional night or two of poor rest may not be anything to worry about too much. However, if it keeps happening, this may be a cause for concern. Here are some ways you can move past that and have a better night’s sleep.

• Get off your phone an hour before bed. Too much phone time may keep you wound up.

• Perform a sleep ritual. Take a hot bath before bed, get dressed in comfortable clothes, cool the room, dim the lights, and relax.

• Try to have a room temperature between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the optimal temperature for a good night’s rest.

• If you’re having trouble falling asleep, don’t toss and turn. Get up do something relaxing.

• Keep your bedding washed.

4. Seek Help

If you’re still having trouble, one thing you can do is to speak to a therapist. Your sleep issues may be a sign of something bigger, and a therapist can help you get to the bottom of it.

If you are unable to have the energy to leave the house, one thing you can do is talk to a therapist online. You can get relief any time, even during a sleepless night.

For more information, please click the link below to get started:

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/psychotherapy/what-is-cognitive-psychotherapy