Wake Up Rejuvenated

Get a good night’s sleep, night after night.

Do you lie in bed at night desperately counting sheep or anxiously awaiting a visit from the sandman? You may be one of the millions of people who report having trouble sleeping. Not getting enough sleep or waking up feeling groggy and run-down after a full night’s rest can take a serious toll on your health. Here’s a guide to help put you on the road to recovery and a good night’s sleep. Because this is your year to bounce out of bed feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Why Is Sleep Important?
Just like diet and exercise, good sleep is an important avenue leading to your ultimate health and wellness destination. Getting the right amount of shuteye helps your mind and body function normally. Insufficient sleep impairs concentration, lowers productivity and contributes to health problems. Here are some of the ways the National Institutes of Health report sleep — or the lack thereof — affects your health.

Performance
Sleep is a must for you to be at your absolute best. A good night’s sleep helps you think clearly and react quickly and enhances your memory and problem-solving skills. Cutting back even one hour of sleep can impair your focus the next day and slow your response time. Studies also find that when you lack sleep, you’re more likely to make bad decisions and take more risks.

Mood
Insufficient sleep can cause irritability and is linked to poor behavior and relationship problems, especially with children and teenagers. People who chronically lack sleep are also more likely to become depressed.

Health
While you sleep, your body releases several hormones that contribute to your overall good health. Deep sleep triggers the release of a growth hormone, which spurs growth in children and helps build muscle mass and repair cells and tissues. Another hormone released during sleep works to fight various infections, which would explain why a good night’s sleep can help ward off illness or lead to a speedy recovery if you do get sick.

Weight
Hormones released during sleep affect how the body uses energy. Studies find that the less people sleep, the more likely they are to be overweight or obese, to develop diabetes and to crave high-calorie foods and carbohydrates.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention