Here’s Why Sleeping Is More Important Than You Think It Is

Here’s Why Sleeping Is More Important Than You Think It Is

Averaging 4-5 hours of sleep each night whilst still struggling to meet deadlines? If that sounds like you, it’s no surprise that with our ever-growing busy schedules and long working hours, we often reassure ourselves that getting a good night’s sleep is not of high importance and that not doing so won’t greatly affect our lives. However, research has shown the opposite to be true.
 
Here are five reasons why getting good quality sleep might just be the solution to thriving in your daily life.
 

1. Greater memory retention and improved learning ability

Being able to consolidate new pieces of information requires neural connections to be formed within our brain. Getting adequate sleep helps do just this, thus positively impacting our ability to recall and learn new information.

2. Heightened emotional and social intelligence

Ever experienced a lapse in judgement because you failed to identify emotional cues expressed by the other individual? This might be the outcome of poor sleeping habits. Whereas adequate sleep does the contrary and improves one’s response time and ability. 

3. Ease in performing physical tasks

Completing physically demanding tasks calls for adequate rest to recoup, relieve muscle tension and improve performance. Therefore, lack of good quality sleep can be one’s greatest adversary to progression in one’s physical performance.

4. A positive impact on mental health

Crankiness might be a short-term negative response to lack of sleep. However, poor sleeping habits over an extended period translates to heightened anxiety, and even depression.

5. A lower risk of contracting certain diseases

Obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, or type 2 diabetes are not to be taken lightly. Trust the research - your body will be thanking you in the long run for prioritising your sleep and wellbeing. After all, we have only one body to last us our lifetime, so why not take good care of it.

Do note that improving your sleeping pattern isn’t one that takes place overnight. Start by focusing on developing a healthy and sustainable sleeping schedule to achieve consistency. Thus, be assured that you will in fact, experience and see the benefits of getting enough sleep once consistency is established. So, wait no more - begin tonight.