When you are younger, sleeping is the last thing that you want to do and going to bed early feels like a punishment. As you grow and get older, crawling into bed and getting to go to sleep at an earlier time is truly something to celebrate!
When you are in the thick of a busy schedule, everyone wishes that they had more time to sleep. If you are swamped with work, schooling, extracurricular activities, or just your social life in general, you can attest to how difficult it can be to get through a day with lack of sleep. Not having enough sleep can actually greatly impact your health in a negative way, and realistically, if you are not getting between seven to eight hours of sleep each night, you are lacking sleep. It is extremely important for many reasons that you prioritize getting the right amount of sleep each night.
Why it’s so important to prioritize your sleep:
Reduces your stress and improves your mood.
First off, getting the right amount of sleep can greatly improve your mood and reduce any stress that you are experiencing overall. The better you sleep, the more well-rested that you will feel, which will ultimately give you a good boost of energy to get through the day. When you wake up feeling more energetic, you will be in a better mood throughout the day, regardless of if anything goes wrong.
Boosts your immune system.
When you prioritize your sleep it can boost your immune system! Throughout the night as you are sleeping, your immune cells are getting the correct amount of rest needed to fight anything off, including any sicknesses or colds, especially during the winter season! Not only will you be able to better avoid getting sick and feeling lousy, but the proper amount of sleep will also help to make any vaccinations that you get more effective.
Keeps you at a healthy weight.
If you are looking to maintain your current weight, getting a good night’s rest is a great way to do it. If you do not get enough sleep each night, your body can produce hormones that boost your appetite which will quickly lead you to the potential of overeating. Everyone is guilty of late-night snacking every once in a while, but do your best to avoid the urge, resist, and get to bed at a good and early time!
Increases productivity.
If you have got a lot on your plate and a lot you need to get done, the earlier you go to sleep and the more well-rested you are, the more productive you will be able to be once you wake up. On top of being more productive, the more sleep that you get, the more you will be able to concentrate and experience a higher cognitive function. This will directly impact your success at work, school, and in life in general! If you are not sleeping enough, you may turn to caffeine and over-stimulate yourself with coffee throughout the day. While everyone loves a good cup of coffee, drinking caffeine too late in the day can also negatively impact your sleep schedule.
Helps to improve memory.
If you have ever been burnt out, you know exactly how it feels to be more forgetful than usual. Having a lack of sleep can cause you to lose focus, which can lead to forgetting things, or even interpreting things in a different way than how they truly played out. Making sure you prioritize your sleep will help your brain correctly process all the memories from that day, and also link memories together.