۵ Reasons to Get More Sleep

Regularly sleeping less than you need at night can put your health and safety at risk, which is why it’s essential that you prioritize and protect your sleep daily.
Getting a good night’s sleep is incredibly important for your health. In fact, it’s just as important as eating a balanced, nutritious diet and exercising. Most people need 7 to 9 hours.

Here are five reasons why getting more sleep can help support your body and mind.
1. May help you maintain or lose weight
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source currently recommends that adults get 7 or more hours of sleep per night.

A 2020 analysisTrusted Source found that adults who slept fewer than 7 hours per night had a 41% increased risk of developing obesity. Meanwhile, sleeping longer didn’t increase the risk.
The effect of sleep on weight gain is believed to be affected by numerous factors, including hormones and motivation to exerciseTrusted Source.

For instance, sleep deprivation increases levels of ghrelin and decreases levels of leptin. Ghrelin is a hormone that makes us feel hungry while leptin makes us feel full. This may cause us to feel hungrier and overeat.
This is supported by a 2020 studyTrusted Source that has shown that sleep-deprived individuals have a bigger appetite and tend to eat more calories.

What’s more, to compensate for lack of energy, sleep deprivation may make you crave foodsTrusted Source that are higher in sugar and fat due to their higher calorie content.

۲. May improve concentration and productivity
Cognition, concentration, productivity, and performance are all negatively affectedTrusted Source by sleep deprivation.
A 2020 studyTrusted Source involving overworked physicians provides a good example. It found that doctors with moderate, high, and very high sleep-related impairment were 54%, 96%, and 97%, respectively, more likely to report clinically significant medical errors.
On a similar note, getting enough sleep can improve academic performance in children, adolescents, and young adults.
Finally, good sleep has been shown to improve problem-solving skills and performance in both children and adults.

۳. May maximize athletic performance
Adequate sleep can enhance fine motor skills, reaction time, muscular power, muscular endurance, and problem-solving skills.

۴. May strengthen your heart
Low sleep quality and duration may increase your risk of developing heart disease.

۵. May affect emotions and social interactions
When we’re tired, we have a harder time managing emotional outbursts and other behaviors in front of others. Tiredness may also affect our ability to respond to humor and show empathy. When we haven’t slept enough, we may be grumpy and irritable.