Surprising Benefits of Sleep

In the United States, 40% of people get less than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Occasional lack of sleep might only make us cranky the next day, but over time, lack of sleep can wreak serious havoc on your health.

Here are five important benefits of sleep you may not have thought about before:

Sleep makes your brain function better. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your brain doesn’t have time to properly store information so you can remember it later.
Sleep boosts your mood. When your sleep is cut short, you tend to have more negative reactions than positive, and prolonged lack of sleep can lead to mood disorders.
Sleep makes your heart healthy. While you sleep, your blood pressure goes down, giving your heart and blood vessels a rest.
Sleep regulates your blood sugar (glucose) levels. If you’re not sleeping enough, you don’t allow your body to reset.
Sleep helps fight germs. Ongoing lack of sleep can change the way your immune cells work causing you to get sick more often.

While exercise and eating healthy are very important to your health, sleep is just as, if not more, important. Make sure you’re mindful about your bedtime and nightly routine to ensure you are getting enough hours of shut eye!

Tags: health, Healthy Choices, healthy sleep tips, sleep habits, sleep health