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We’ve all felt a little off now and again when we’ve had a few too many late nights, but regular sleep deprivation can have a detrimental effect on your physical and mental health.
In fact, studies have shown that less than 6 hours of sleep a night can triple the risk of developing cancer, as well as shortening life expectancy.
Below, we’ll take a look at why sleep is so important to our health.
Uplift Your Mood
Ever seen the advert where ‘You’re not you without a snickers’? Well, the same goes for a lack of sleep. During sleep, you give your brain that all important time to process the events of the day and the emotions that went with it.
When you miss out on this process, you’re more likely to have negative emotional reactions to daily events that you otherwise would have reacted to in a more positive way.
Regular sleep deprivation has also been proven to put you at an increased risk of developing certain mood disorders like anxiety, depression and panic disorders.
Reduce Your Risk of Developing Diseases
Studies have shown that getting less than six hours of sleep a night can dramatically increase your risk of developing a range of diseases, from diabetes to a weakened immunity, high blood pressure and even heart disease; a leading cause of death in the western world.
Getting a little more sleep every night could help you to develop a stronger immunity and cut the risk of developing certain illnesses and diseases that could shorten your life expectancy.
Sharpen Your Memory
Sleep deprivation has been shown to reduce people’s ability to recall memories and give sharp details of an event. Without enough sleep, it also becomes harder to take in and process information as your brain doesn’t have the power to properly store the information.
As such, a lack of sleep could inhibit your creative abilities and affect your ability to carry out your work effectively, impacting on your career as well as your health and relationships.
Build Up Your Immune System
There’s never been a more important time than now to have a strong immune system yet sleep deprivation could be putting you at more risk of becoming sick. A lack of sleep can change the way your immune system works, making your body less effective at identifying and fighting off illnesses.
By getting a few extra hours of zzz’s a night, you could help to strengthen your immune system in the long term and reduce the number of sick days you need to take and no need for chicken noodle soup!
Ways To Get a Better Night’s Sleep
It’s clear that getting a good night’s sleep is critical to our health and wellbeing, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. Below, we have a few tips for making sure you get enough sleep each night.
- Declutter Your Room
Sleeping in a cluttered room can increase stress levels and make it harder to nod off each night. Why not invest in a few space saving tools like a Divan bed from the Divan Beds Centre where you can store things away underneath the bed, without compromising on comfort.
- Cut Out Electronics Late at Night
Create a curfew for yourself with electronics. Research has shown that the blue light emitted from electronics can greatly affect our quality of sleep and make it harder to drift off too. A good rule is to leave phones, tv’s and tablets outside of the bedroom.
- Take a Bath
A warm bath with lavender bath salts or essential oils is a great way to wind down and relax, preparing your body to drift off for a full 8 hours of sleep.
Overall, it’s clear that getting enough sleep on a regular basis is essential for our health.
So whether you need to cut your late-night Instagram scrolling habits or do some tidying up each morning to keep your room stress free, it’s really worth it for your long-term health and wellbeing.
