10 Top Benefits of Getting More Sleep - Healthline

Numerous studies have shown that adequate sleep can enhance fine motor skills, reaction time, muscular power, muscular endurance, and problem-solving skills ( ... HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeSleepSleepScienceRoutinesMind&BodyDisordersChallengeNapsDreamsProductsNutritionEvidenceBased10ReasonstoGetMoreSleepWrittenbyJoeLeech,MS—MedicallyreviewedbyNickVillalobos,MD—UpdatedonJanuary6,2022Gettingagoodnight’ssleepisincrediblyimportantforyourhealth.Infact,it’sjustasimportantaseatingabalanced,nutritiousdietandexercising.Thoughsleepneedsvaryfrompersontoperson,mostadultsrequirebetween7and9hoursofsleeppernight.Yet,upto35%ofadultsintheUnitedStatesdon’tgetenoughsleep(1,2).Sleepdeprivationcanputyourhealthandsafetyatrisk,whichiswhyit’sessentialthatyouprioritizeandprotectyoursleeponadailybasis.Thisarticletellsyou9reasonswhyyouneedtogetmoresleep.ShareonPinterestPeopleImages/GettyImages1.MayhelpyoumaintainorloseweightNumerousstudieshaveassociatedshortsleep—definedassleepingfewerthan7hourspernight—withagreaterriskofweightgainandahigherbodymassindex(BMI)(3,4,5).Infact,a2020analysisfoundthatadultswhosleptfewerthan7hourspernighthadawhopping41%increasedriskofdevelopingobesity.Meanwhile,sleepinglongerdidn’tincreasetherisk(6).Theeffectofsleeponweightgainisbelievedtobeaffectedbynumerousfactors,includinghormonesandmotivationtoexercise(5).Forinstance,sleepdeprivationincreaseslevelsofghrelinanddecreaseslevelsofleptin.Ghrelinisahormonethatmakesusfeelhungrywhileleptinmakesusfeelfull.Thismaycauseustofeelhungrierandovereat(7).Thisissupportedbyvariousstudiesthathaveshownthatsleep-deprivedindividualshaveabiggerappetiteandtendtoeatmorecalories(8,9).What’smore,tocompensateforlackofenergy,sleepdeprivationmaymakeyoucravefoodsthatarehigherinsugarandfat,duetotheirhighercaloriecontent(10,11).Tomakemattersworse,feelingtiredafteranightoftoolittlesleepmayleaveyoufeelingunmotivatedtohitthegym,goforawalk,ordowhicheverotherphysicalactivityyouenjoy.So,prioritizingsleepmaysupporthealthybodyweight.SummaryShortsleepdurationisassociatedwithanincreasedriskofdevelopingobesityandweightgain.Sleepdeprivationmayincreaseyourappetiteandcauseyoutoeatmorecalories.Inparticular,you’remorelikelytoeatfoodshighinsugarandfat.2.CanimproveconcentrationandproductivitySleepisimportantforvariousaspectsofbrainfunction.Cognition,concentration,productivity,andperformanceareallnegativelyaffectedbysleepdeprivation(12,13,14).Aspecificstudyonoverworkedphysiciansprovidesagoodexample.Itfoundthatdoctorswithmoderate,high,andveryhighsleep-relatedimpairmentwere54%,96%,and97%morelikelytoreportclinicallysignificantmedicalerrors(15).Onasimilarnote,gettingenoughsleepcanimproveacademicperformanceinchildren,adolescents,andyoungadults(16,17,18,19).Finally,goodsleephasbeenshowntoimproveproblem-solvingskillsandenhancememoryperformanceinbothchildrenandadults(20,21,22).SummaryGoodsleepcanmaximizeproblem-solvingskillsandenhancememory.Incontrast,poorsleephasbeenshowntoimpairbrainfunctionanddecisionmakingskills.3.CanmaximizeathleticperformanceSleephasbeenshowntoenhanceathleticperformance.Numerousstudieshaveshownthatadequatesleepcanenhancefinemotorskills,reactiontime,muscularpower,muscularendurance,andproblem-solvingskills(23,24,25).What’smore,lackofsleepmayincreaseyourriskofinjuryandloweryourmotivationtoexercise(24).So,gettingenoughsleepmaybejustthethingyouneedtotakeyourperformancetothenextlevel.SummaryGettingenoughsleephasbeenshowntoimprovemanyaspectsofathleticandphysicalperformance.4.MaystrengthenyourheartLowsleepqualityanddurationmayincreaseyourriskofdevelopingheartdisease(26,27,28).Oneanalysisof19studiesfoundthatsleepingfewerthan7hoursperdayresultedina13%increasedriskofdeathfromheartdisease(29).Anotheranalysisfoundthatcomparedwith7hoursofsleep,each1-hourdecreaseinsleepwasassociatedwitha6%increasedriskofall-causemortalityandheartdisease(30).What’smore,shortsleepappearstoincreasetheriskofhighbloodpressure,especiallyinthosewithobstructivesleepapnea—aconditioncharacterizedbyinterruptedbreathingduringsleep(31,32).Infact,onestudyfoundthatpeoplewhosleptfewerthan5hourspernighthada61%higherriskofdevelopinghighbloodpressurethanthosewhoslept7hours(33).Interestingly,excessivesleepinadults—morethan9hours—wasalsoshowntoincreasetheriskofheartdiseaseandhighbloodpressure(29,30,33).SummarySleepingfewerthansevenhourspernightislinkedtoanincreasedriskofheartdiseaseandhighbloodpressure.5.Affectssugarmetabolismandtype2diabetesriskShortsleepisassociatedwithagreaterriskofdevelopingtype2diabetesandinsulinresistance—whichiswhenyourbodycannotusethehormoneinsulinproperly(34).Infact,ananalysisof36studiesinover1millionparticipantsfoundthatveryshortsleepoffewerthan5hoursandshortsleepoffewerthan6hoursincreasedtheriskofdevelopingtype2diabetesby48%and18%,respectively(35).It’sthoughtthatsleepdeprivationcancausephysiologicalchangeslikedecreasedinsulinsensitivity,increasedinflammation,andhungerhormonechanges,aswellasbehavioralchangeslikepoordecisionmakingandgreaterfoodintake—allofwhichincreasediabetesrisk(36).Plus,sleepdeprivationisassociatedwithahigherriskofdevelopingobesity,heartdisease,andmetabolicsyndrome.Thesefactorsalsoincreaseyourriskofdiabetes(36,37).SummaryManystudiesshowastrongassociationbetweenchronicsleepdeprivationandriskofdevelopingtype2diabetes.6.PoorsleepislinkedtodepressionMentalhealthconcerns,suchasdepression,arestronglylinkedtopoorsleepqualityandsleepingdisorders(38,39,40).Onestudyin2,672participantsfoundthatthosewithanxietyanddepressionweremorelikelytoreportpoorersleepscoresthanthosewithoutanxietyanddepression(40).Inotherstudies,peoplewithsleepingdisorderslikeinsomniaorobstructivesleepapneaalsoreporthigherratesofdepressionthanthosewithout(41,42).Ifyouhavetroublewithsleepandnoticeyourmentalhealthhasworsened,it’simportanttospeakwithyourhealthcareprofessional.SummaryPoorsleepingpatternsarestronglylinkedtodepression,particularlyforthosewithasleepingdisorder.7.SupportsahealthyimmunesystemLackofsleephasbeenshowntoimpairimmunefunction(43,44).Inonestudy,participantswhosleptfewerthan5hourspernightwere4.5timesmorelikelytodevelopacoldcomparedthanwhosleptmorethan7hours.Thosewhoslept5–6hourswere4.24timesmorelikely(45).Somedataalsosuggeststhatpropersleepmayimproveyourbody’santibodyresponsestoinfluenzavaccines(46).Recently,preliminarydatashowsthatgettingenoughsleepbeforeandafterreceivingaCOVID-19vaccinationmayimprovevaccineefficacy.Still,moreresearchisneededtobetterunderstandthispossibleconnection(47,48,49,50).SummaryGettingatleast7hoursofsleepcanimproveyourimmunefunctionandhelpfightthecommoncold.ItmayalsoimproveCOVID-19vaccineefficacy,thoughmoreresearchisneeded.8.PoorsleepislinkedtoincreasedinflammationPoorsleepcanhaveamajoreffectoninflammationinthebody.Sleepplaysakeyroleintheregulationofourcentralnervoussystem.Inparticular,it’sinvolvedinthestress-responsesystemsknownasthesympatheticnervoussystemandthehypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis(51).Sleeploss,especiallyfromdisturbedsleep,isknowntoactivateinflammatorysignalingpathwaysandleadtohigherlevelsofundesirablemarkersofinflammation,likeinterleukin-6andC-reactiveprotein(51,52).Overtime,chronicinflammationcancausethedevelopmentofmanychronicconditions,includingobesity,heartdisease,certaintypesofcancer,Alzheimer’sdisease,depression,andtype2diabetes(51,52).SummarySleepdisturbanceislinkedtohigherlevelsofinflammation.Overtime,thiscanincreaseyourriskofdevelopingchronicconditionslikeheartdisease,depression,andAlzheimer’sdisease.9.AffectsemotionsandsocialinteractionsSleeplossreducesyourabilitytoregulateemotionsandinteractsocially.Whenwe’retired,wehaveahardertimecontrollingemotionaloutburstsandourbehaviorsinfrontofothers.Tirednessmayalsoaffectourabilitytorespondtohumorandshowempathy(53,54).Plus,thosewhoarechronicallysleep-deprivedaremorelikelytowithdrawalfromsocialeventsandexperienceloneliness(55).Prioritizingsleepmaybeakeywaytoimproveyourrelationshipswithothersandhelpyoubecomemoresocial.Ifyoudealwithlonelinessoremotionaloutbursts,don’tbeafraidtoreachouttoafriend,familymember,orhealthcareprofessionaltogetsupport.Tolearnmore,viewthislistofresources.SummarySleepdeprivationmayreduceyoursocialskillsandabilitytoprocessemotions.LackofsleepcanbedangerousNotgettingenoughsleepcanbedangerousforyourselfandothers.Whenwe’retired,ourabilitytofocusontasks,reflexes,andreactiontimesdecreases.Infact,beingseverelysleep-deprivediscomparabletohavingconsumedexcessalcohol.Concerningly,theCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)reportsthat1in25peoplehavefallenasleepatthewheelwhiledriving.Thosewhosleptfewerthan6hoursweremostlikelytofallasleepwhiledriving(56).One2018studyfoundthatpeoplewhoslept6,5,4,orfewerthan4hourshadariskofcausingacaraccidentthatwas1.3,1.9,2.9,and15.1timeshigher,respectively.Thisstudysuggeststhatyourriskofacaraccidentincreasessignificantlywitheachhouroflostsleep(57).Further,theCDCreportsthatstayingawakeformorethan18hoursiscomparabletohavingabloodalcoholcontent(BAC)of0.05%.After24hours,thisincreasesto1.00%,whichisoverthelegaldrivinglimit(56).Inadditiontoincreasedrisksassociatedwithdriving,lackofsleepmayalsoincreasetheriskofworkplaceinjuryanderrors(58).Allinall,gettingpropersleepisimportantforeveryone’ssafety.SummarySeveresleepdeprivationincreasesyourriskofgettinginacaraccidentorbeinginjuredatwork.Itcangreatlyaffectyourabilitytomakecriticaldecisions.ThebottomlineAlongwithnutritionandexercise,takingcareofyoursleepisoneofthepillarsofhealth.Lackofsleepisassociatedwithmanynegativehealtheffects,includingincreasedriskofheartdisease,depression,weightgain,inflammation,andsickness.Thoughindividualneedsvary,mostresearchsuggeststhatyoushouldgetbetween7and9hoursofsleeppernightforoptimalhealth.Justlikeyouprioritizeyourdietandphysicalactivity,it’stimetogivesleeptheattentionitdeserves.BrowseoursleepshopanddiscoverallthebestproductsforachievingdeepersleepJustonethingTrythistoday:Forthenextweek,keeptrackofhowmanyhoursofsleepyougetpernight.Ifit’slessthan7,trytogotobed30minutesearliereverydaythefollowingweek.Graduallyincreasethisuntilyou’regettingatleast7hourspernight.Foodfix:FoodsforBetterSleepLastmedicallyreviewedonJanuary5,2022FEEDBACK:EvidenceBasedThisarticleisbasedonscientificevidence,writtenbyexpertsandfactcheckedbyexperts.Ourteamoflicensednutritionistsanddietitiansstrivetobeobjective,unbiased,honestandtopresentbothsidesoftheargument.Thisarticlecontainsscientificreferences.Thenumbersintheparentheses(1,2,3)areclickablelinkstopeer-reviewedscientificpapers.WrittenbyJoeLeech,MS—MedicallyreviewedbyNickVillalobos,MD—UpdatedonJanuary6,2022Readthisnext9NaturalSleepAidsThatMayHelpYouGetSomeShut-EyeWrittenbyAlinaPetre,MS,RD(NL)Ifyouneedhelptogetagoodnight’ssleep,consider9naturalsleepaids,fromlavendertomagnesium.Alsolearnaboutantihistamines,sideeffects,READMORE9DrinksThatHelpYouSleepWrittenbyCeciliaSnyder,MS,RDSleepingforatleast7–9hourseachnightdoesnotalwayscomeeasy.Hereare9drinksthatmighthelpimproveyoursleepnaturally.READMORE17ProvenTipstoSleepBetteratNightWrittenbyRudyMawer,MSc,CISSNThisarticlelists17evidence-basedtipstosleepbetteratnight.Gettinggoodsleepisveryimportantforoptimalhealth.READMOREWhatIsthePurposeofSleep?MedicallyreviewedbyRajDasgupta,MDResearchhasshownthatsleephelpsyourbodyandbrainrepair,restore,andreenergize.Lackofsleepcanleadtomanynegativeeffects.READMOREWhyDoISleepSoMuch?MedicallyreviewedbyAlanaBiggers,M.D.,MPHIfyou'repullingall-nighterstofinishaworkproject,thenit'sperfectlynormal—healthy,even—toeventuallycrashandhavecouplenightsof…READMORE7ReasonsWhyYouGetHotWhileSleeping(andWhattoDoAboutIt)MedicallyreviewedbyRajDasgupta,MDHerearesevenreasonswhyyoumaygethotwhenyousleep,alongwithsolutionsyoucantry.READMOREWhatYouShouldKnowAboutDifficultySleepingMedicallyreviewedbyStacySampson,D.O.Sleepingdifficultyiswhenyouhavetroublesleepingatnight.Learnwhatcausessleepissuesandhowtheymaybetreated.READMORESleepDisordersMedicallyreviewedbyRajDasgupta,MDSleepdisordersareconditionsthataffecttheabilitytosleepwellonaregularbasis.Learnaboutsleepdisordersymptoms,types,andtreatment.READMORE