Topic of the day: The importance of a good sleep
Nowadays many people disregard the importance that a good night of sleep has for a healthy life. In the past, before the popularization of TV’s, it was common that people would go to bed after having dinner and spending some time chatting with family members or eventually with a visiting friend.
Then the TV came to extend the night with films, soap operas, and news programs. Later, with the popularization of the internet and smartphones, people became more connected than ever. And this accessibility that brings knowledge and entertainment in an easy way, is also turning the users into addicted people. We don’t realize how much we are being influenced by the excessive use of those technologies, but several types of research are ongoing and point out that this is causing an increase in the level of stress and anxiety. Besides that, some sleep disorders that were rare in the past are becoming common nowadays.
Our body needs time to rest, recover and reestablish after a full day of activities. During the sleep time, not only our body cleans itself and produces new cells, but also our mind processes the information gathered during the day in what is called memory consolidation. The immune system is also benefited by a good night of sleep.
When you get too active close to bedtime (either physically or mentally), our sleep is negatively affected, which can vary depending on each person. The best thing to do during this period is trying to avoid stimulus such as smartphone use or heavy exercise, helping the body and mind to slow down until when you fall asleep. Reading and listening to music can be good habits for the period close to bedtime.
When you have a proper sleep, several benefits are obtained, such as:
• Reduced level of stress and anxiety;
• Increased concentration and mental health;
• Balanced metabolism which can be linked with appetite and weight control;
• Reduced risk of diseases, due to an enhanced immune system;
• Decreased risk of accidents, as you won’t feel sleepy during the day;
• Decreased risk of depression;
• And much more…
There are discussions about how many hours a person should sleep, which can vary depending on each individual. An average time recommended is 8 hours per night, but some people may have a different metabolism and need only 6 hours and feel completely ok in the next day, or others may need 10 hours in order to feel rested. In my case, the average of 8 hours refills my battery completely leaving my mind and body full charge for a new day.
If you are not having proper sleeping, I recommend you to evaluate your night habits and change some of them to give your body the necessary recovery time. Your health depends on it.
If you found this topic interesting and want to look further, check these articles:
· https://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/importance_of_sleep_and_health
