3 Benefits of Getting More Sleep

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As an adult, you may have put sleep on the backburner as far as priorities go. This isn’t unusual, in part because of the overcrowded schedules that most of us have. It is important to give yourself the occasional reality check that you are human and sleep deprivation will have negative effects on you in the long run. Here are some benefits of getting the sleep you need, so that you might be motivated to hit the sack a little earlier each night (1).

1) Be Heart Healthy- One of the most constant effects of sleep deprivation is heart problems. This is thought to be caused by worsening of cholesterol and blood pressure. This also may explain why heart attack and stroke usually occur in the early morning hours. Getting enough sleep will prevent these negative effects and keep you healthier for longer!

2) De-Stress- You have probably noticed that you are more stressed out when you are tired, but it turns out there is more to it than that. Sleep deprivation actually puts your body in a state of stress. One way this manifests itself is through high blood pressure, which can have other negative implications as well. Also, your body will increase the production of stress hormones. As well as ruining your day, these hormones can keep you awake at night, making the problem even worse. To prevent this vicious cycle, try your best to get eight hours of sleep every night. Your mood will benefit greatly, helping everyone around you as well as yourself.

3) Help Your Brain- Probably the most obvious benefit of getting a good night’s sleep is that you are more alert the next day. This is because sleep is a restorative process for your mind and body. When you wake up feeling refreshed, you are more likely to go out and do something with your day. This will make you tired by the time night rolls around, and you’ll be ready for another night of high quality sleep. Now there’s a cycle you want to get caught up in. Also, sleeping enough will improve your memory. While your body is resting at night, your brain is busy processing your day. It consolidates everything from smells to emotions and primes your mind for whatever information it will need to process the next day. This will allow you to learn and retain information better in your daily life.

 

  1. http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep
  2. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20459221,00.html
Dr. Serge Gregoire
Dr. Serge is a clinical nutritionist. He owns a doctorate degree in nutrition from McGill University in Canada. In addition, he completed a 7-year postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts where he studied the impact of fat as it relates to heart disease.

He has authored a book on this topic that is awaiting publication with Edition Berger publishers in Canada. He holds an advance certification in Nutrition Response Testing (SM) from Ulan Nutritional Systems in Florida and he is a certified herbalist through the Australian College of Phytotherapy.

His personalized nutritional programs allow to help individuals with a wide variety of health concerns such as hormonal imbalance, digestive issues, heart-related conditions, detoxes/cleanses, weight loss, fatigue, migraines, allergies, among others.