Sleep is crucial, ultimately.
Sleep plays a role in your body’s…
Immunity
Metabolism
Muscle Growth and Maintenance
Brain Function and Health
Body Weight
Hormone Regulation
Energy Levels
Overall Longevity
Sleep is essential for longterm health. While you sleep, your immune system strengthens (due to the ability to focus on your immunity during sleep) and fights off sickness. Sleep regulates your glucose (sugar) levels, allowing for better blood pressure maintenance as well as fat maintenance and regulation, leading to an overall healthier body composition. Sleep also allows for muscular growth due to the secretion of anabolic hormones (testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)) which contribute to muscle repair and the GAINS! When you’re sleep deprived, we see a decrease in anabolic hormones and an increase in catabolic hormones (like cortisol) which causes muscular breakdown as well as inflammation in the body (even weight gain). Sleep also cleanses toxins from your brain each night, leading to a healthier brain long term, proper memory storage and sorting, better cognition and a higher functioning/faster-reacting brain. Sleep promotes higher energy levels and the ability to say “yes!” to more. Sleep also aids in your mental health in that it decreases the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
As you can see, sleep plays many roles in your health.
The ideal sleep range? 7-9 hours, with some individuals (rarer) falling into the short sleeper category (6-7 hours) and some in the long sleeper range (9+ hours). If you regularly get less or 9+, it may be wise to consult a doctor or specialist. Under-sleeping (due to insomnia, sleep apnea, time constraints, etc) hurts you greatly over time, as does oversleeping (9-10+ hours regularly).
For ideal sleep, do your best to maintain a regular sleep schedule (regular sleep and wake times) as this is shown to lead to the most sleep success as well as longevity benefits. Have a cozy/welcoming sleep environment, make sure the temps are cooler, keep the room dark, have a relaxing wind-down routine and practice de-stressing rituals as needed before bed.
I could go on and on; but, sleep is vital for longevity and longterm wellness. If you’re undersleeping, let’s reevaluate!
Sources:
https://preventiongeneration.com/does-sleep-help-your-immune-system-health-benefits-of-sleep/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4067693/
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0106950
https://www.sleepscore.com/blog/the-power-of-sleep-and-its-impact-on-our-longevity/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4067693/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5749041/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-time-should-you-go-to-sleep-4588298
