Sleep: Why We Need It
The Need for Sleep
Being as busy as we often are, sleep may be seen as a luxury in our hectic modern world. However, studies are showing the benefits of sleep extend beyond what we’ve known before. Ericsson’s high-impact study from 1993 reported that the best sleepers got about 8 and a half hours. The average American sleeps just under seven hours each night.
Need More Energy?
Our energy comes from sleep, food, air, and water. If your diet is good and you still feel tired, consider your sleep habits. Getting to sleep too late leaves you without enough strength the next day. Although you may ‘catch up’, the damage is already done–even more so if you get less than 6 hours. Don’t let poor sleep habits drag you down!
Sleep and METABOLISM
When you lose sleep, your body’s metabolic rate decreases during the morning according to this 2015 study. The researchers found that the body tends to conserve caloric energy when sleep is lost. In other words, getting enough sleep helps to balance your body’s metabolism and maintain a healthy weight.
Sleep Fights Sickness
While we sleep, our bodies produce certain types of cytokines, which are key regulators of our immune system. When we are sick, changes in production of cytokines and their effect on the serotonin system lead us to be more tired, as this 2009 study suggests. Our bodies are programmed to get more sleep when we’re sick because sleep helps us heal more quickly.