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Sleep part 1 – 6 reasons why you should treasure a good sleep

Sufficient and high quality sleep restores your body and mind from the stress of the day. If you sleep too little or too lightly, the body’s internal repair mechanisms can’t properly activate during the night. In milder cases, this results in low energy levels, but at worst, it can for example predispose you to illnesses and complicate weight management. Here are six wellness topics in which good sleep plays a crucial role.

  1. Recovery and stress management. Adequate sleep helps your body to recover from the day’s exertions and stress, keeping your systems in balance.
  2. Weight management and healthy body composition. While a calorie deficit is important for fat loss, the quality and quantity of sleep also affects your weight through several mechanisms. Sleep deprivation impairs blood sugar regulation and can lead to insulin resistance in the worst cases. Additionally, appetite can increase due to disrupted hormone secretion, leading to more cravings. Sleep deprivation has been shown to increase oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which affect blood sugar balance. Getting at least seven hours of sleep per night can help avoid these issues.
  3. Muscle development and exercise performance. A significant growth hormone spike occurs in the first half of the night, so it’s important to take full advantage of it. Sleep deprivation increases the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol, which reduces protein synthesis and can lead to increased muscle breakdown (catabolism). Poor sleep also impairs performance during workouts, making it difficult to follow the principle of progressive overload. In one study, those who slept 5.5 hours had 60% less muscle mass at the end of the period compared to those who slept 8.5 hours.
  4. Brain function and mental health. Good sleep helps the brain function more efficiently, improving memory, concentration, and learning. One mechanism explaining this is the glymphatic system, which operates during deep sleep. It acts as the brain’s cleansing system, allowing cerebrospinal fluid to flow through brain tissue to wash away metabolic waste accumulated during wakefulness. Another mechanism related to insufficient sleep is the reduced secretion of neurotransmitters (epinephrine and acetylcholine) that affect learning and memory. Sleep deprivation also affects mood and can contribute to anxiety and depression.
  5. Immune defense. Good sleep helps strengthen the immune system, aiding your body in fighting off illnesses. Poorly slept nights reduce the number of white blood cells and cytokines, which are crucial components of an effective immune defense.
  6. Skin health. Sleep deprivation disrupts the body’s fluid balance, affects nighttime hormone secretion, and reduces collagen production. These make the skin prone to dehydration, premature ageing and a tired look.

In the next part, I’ll continue take the topic a bit further with tips on how to improve your sleep hygiene for an amazing night’s sleep.

Sources

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/sleep-and-blood-glucose-levels

https://www.soundsleephealth.com/lack-of-sleep-and-its-effect-on-blood-sugar-levels/

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-deprivation/health-effects