The Importance of Getting Enough Sleep

Even when the pace of life is very hectic, breaks are essential to improve people's quality of life and stay active throughout the day.

When you sleep, you reach a state of rest in which all senses and movements are suspended. This physical calm and mental rest allow you to regain energy and vitality for the next day. Not doing so or doing it incorrectly can affect physical and mental health in different ways.

The benefits of restorative sleep

Good rest means sleeping the necessary hours (between 7 and 8) and achieving deep sleep during this period, which is achieved by acquiring certain habits, such as establishing a fixed bedtime, avoiding heavy meals at night, and preferring reading over television when going to bed.

Some reasons to sleep well:

Cells regenerate and oxygenate

When we sleep, our skin rests, and cells regenerate and oxygenate more easily. Specifically in the eyes, Rhodopsin (light-sensitive pigment) manages to renew itself, recovering from the effort made during the day.

Helps maintain a healthy weight

When the body does not get enough rest, it tends to accumulate fat, and it is harder to burn it. A rested body helps maintain weight or even lose it more easily because when we sleep little, we produce more of the hormone Ghrelin, which increases appetite.

Promotes the control of diseases such as hypertension and diabetes

When we don't get enough rest, we run the risk of increasing our blood pressure, making the probability of contracting hypertension and/or diabetes higher due to increased cortisol production.

Protects the heart

During sleep, heart rate also decreases so that coronary cells and tissues can repair themselves. At this time, our body releases melatonin and growth hormone to carry out these tasks.

Improves intellectual capacity

Rest is essential to improve our intellectual activity. The brain needs several hours of disconnection to process all the information accumulated during the day.

Encourages physical coordination

A psychomotor activity cannot be performed if the brain is not rested. If we are going to drive or perform a risky job, rest is not only advisable but essential.

How poor sleep manifests

Lack of restorative sleep can affect the body in various ways, some of the most frequently perceived are:

– Vision difficulties.

– Hypersensitivity to light stimuli.

– Reduced reading ability and concentration.

– Constant feeling of tiredness.

– Gastric problems.

– Lack of energy.

– Bad mood and irritability.

Source: ACHS.