8 Benefits of a Good Nights Sleep

Let's be honest. It's not the most exiting topic in the world. I'm going to quickly fire 10 benefits at you before you start to fall asleep on me

1. Sleep reduces stress

When your body is sleep deprived, it goes into a state of stress. This stress increases your blood pressure which increases your chances of a stroke or heart attack. The ironic thing is that these stress hormones also make it harder to fall asleep come bed time.

2. Sleep reduces inflammation

Increased stress hormones caused from lack of sleep raises the level of inflammation in the body. This creates a greater risk for heart-related conditions. Inflammation is also thought to cause the body to degenerate as we age.

3. Sleep makes you more alert

That's a pretty obvious one right, but next time you have a great nights sleep note how much better you feel for the whole day. You'll be more energised, happier and alert. This increased alertness also sets you up for a better nights sleep.

4. Sleep improves your memory

This is a big one for me. I have dog shit memory. Sleep turns reality into a memory. When you sleep your brains busy processing information throughout the day, making connections between events, sensory input and creating memories.

5. Sleep will help you lose weight

Studies have found that people who sleep less that 7 hours a night are much more likely to be overweight. Lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones that effect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, which regulate appetite, have been found to be disrupted from lack of sleep.

6. Napping makes you smarter

Napping is great for overall health and can make you more productive. People who nap at work show much lower levels of stress. Napping also improved memory, cognitive functions and mood.

7. Sleep may reduce your risk of depression

Sleep impacts many of the chemicals in the body, including serotonin. Serotonin is a feel good hormone. People with serotonin deficiencies are far more likely to suffer from depression. Aim for between 7-9 hours sleep for the best results.

8. Sleep helps the body repair itself

This is an important one in the weight lifting world. During sleep the body is hard at work repairing damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays, and other harmful exposure. While sleeping your cells produce more protein. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair the damage.

Hopefully you're still awake, and better yet, you've learnt something.

Life's better when you're alert and feeling happy. Sleep your way to a leaner, happier, smarter and more youthful body.