5 Health Benefits of Sleep

Getting enough sleep is a critical part of overall health and wellness.

With busy lives, crowded schedules, and a never-ending list of responsibilities, sleep can be considered a luxury. Feeling tired all the time can become normalized, after all, who can afford a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep?

However, sleep isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s an absolutely critical part of a healthy lifestyle. Not getting enough sleep doesn’t just result in yawning—it can lead to many health problems and get in the way of an enjoyable, productive lifestyle. Getting enough sleep regularly can both prevent future health problems and provide short-term benefits to increase your health and well-being. Learn why sleep is so beneficial for your health and get inspired to improve your sleep.

Benefit #1: Reduced Stress

Stress might be a part of everyday life, but too much stress can negatively affect your health. A lack of sleep can cause the body to act as though it’s in distress and release a stress hormone called cortisol. This increases heart rate as the body prepares for fight-or-flight. Over prolonged periods of time, this can have negative impacts on your overall health. Long-term stress can increase the risk of health problems like anxiety, depression, weight gain, and heart disease.[1] Sleep loss results in elevated cortisol levels and may accelerate the development of these health issues.[2] With more rest, the body can better regulate hormones and keep cortisol at a healthy level. Getting adequate sleep regularly is a great way to prevent some of these health problems and help reduce feelings of stress.

Benefit #2: Improved Attention Span and Memory

Ever woken up groggy and had a hard time focusing at work or school? Sleep deprivation impairs attention and short-term memory, and makes it harder to concentrate and stay alert.[3] It can even affect long-term memory and decision-making skills. Getting a good night’s sleep is a great way to set your body up for better focus and alertness during the day. Sleep is also critical for memory consolidation. Your brain makes memories during the day, and then sleep allows the brain to consolidate and log those experiences into long-term memories.[4]

Benefit #3: Better Heart Health

Eating healthy foods and getting exercise are great ways to keep your heart healthy—but did you know sleep plays a key role, too? Without enough sleep, the body has an increased risk of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and atherosclerosis.[5] People with sleeping disorders like sleep apnea or insomnia are also far more likely to have cardiovascular problems like arrythmias, heart failure, and coronary artery disease.[6] Restless leg syndrome (RLS) has also been associated with cardiovascular disease.[7]

During sleep, the body can recuperate—heart rate slows, blood pressure drops, and breathing stabilizes. All of these processes reduce stress on the heart.[8] Getting enough high-quality sleep can lower the risk of these cardiovascular disorders.

Benefit #4: Appetite Regulation and Metabolism

While sleep might not feel like part of a healthy diet, it plays an important role in appetite regulation and metabolism. Not getting enough sleep has been shown to increase hunger due to hormonal changes.[9] Plus, when you’re tired, you’re more likely to overeat or reach for fatty or sugary foods rather than nutrient-dense meals. Sleep helps maintain leptin levels, an important hormone that promotes satiety.[10] Overall, good sleep helps you stay full for longer and keep hunger pangs at bay.

Benefit #5: Lowered Risk of Health Issues

Getting more sleep can actually help your body fight off illnesses. Researchers have found that inadequate sleep can impair immune function and, over time, result in increased rates of neurodegenerative illnesses like dementia.[11]^,[12] Although the exact mechanisms of these effects are still being researched, sleep serves as a time for the body to rebuild, repair, and manage hormone levels.

How to Improve Your Sleep Quality

Even if you don’t suffer from sleep issues, improving the quality of your sleep can benefit your general well-being in numerous ways. Thankfully, there are a number of simple and easy ways to improve the quality of your sleep. Here are two of the most common:

Track your sleep. By tracking your sleep, you can better understand your sleep habits and identify areas where you can improve. For example, you might realize that spending time on your phone before bed consistently results in a night of poor sleep.
Have a consistent sleep schedule. One of the best ways to improve the quality of your sleep is to keep your bed and wake-up times Research has shown that people with consistent daily sleep timing generally sleep more deeply and wake up less during the night.[13]

5 Marketplace Products to Help Improve Sleep

Bodimetrics Prevention circul+ Smart Ring. Inspired to start tracking your sleep? Try this innovative ring, which tracks sleep data as well as heart rate, steps, calories burned, and blood pressure. It even tracks baseline skin temperature for 12 hours during sleep. It’s never been easier to take control of your personal health data.
SNOOZ White Noise Sound Machine. One recent study showed that adults fell asleep 38 percent faster while listening to white noise.[14] SNOOZ creates a peaceful white noise and uses 98 percent less energy compared to a traditional box fan. It’s even small and portable, so you can ensure great sleep hygiene while traveling.
Harkla Weighted Blanket. If you or a loved one sometimes struggle with stress or anxiety as you get ready to settle down for the night, this weighted blanket was made for you. With the science of Deep Touch Pressure, weighted blankets help regulate your nervous system to aid in the release of serotonin and melatonin, preparing the body for a good night’s sleep. Bonus: It’s made of super-soft fabric that’s machine-washable.
SleepPhones Wireless. Listening to soothing music or a guided meditation can be a great way to focus the brain and drift off into sleep. SleepPhones Wireless are like pajamas for your ears: a soft, comfortable headband with tiny, high-quality audio speakers nestled within. Stream audio wirelessly for a better night’s sleep, or even wear them while working out or commuting for an ultimate sound experience.
Blissy Silk Sleep Mask. Create a healthy sleep environment by eliminating light and visual distractions—and look nice doing it, too! Silk is hypoallergenic and won’t interfere with any nighttime eye creams. It also helps regulate temperature, so you can stay cool and comfortable all night long. Whether you’re at home or on a plane, you can ensure a luxurious, healthy night of sleep.

FAQs

Why is sleep important for the brain?

Sleep fulfills countless important functions for brain health. Sleep studies have shown that our brains form new connections during sleep, committing experiences we had during the day to memory. Research has also shown that sleep is a time for our bodies to break down and recycle metabolic by-products, such as adenosine, that accumulate while we’re awake. When we don’t sleep enough, the excess build-up of these chemicals and neurotransmitters can negatively impact our health.

What happens when you don’t sleep?

The impacts of inadequate sleep will vary, depending on how much time a sleep deficit is experienced. Chronic sleep deprivation can result in serious health impacts like high blood pressure, impaired attention span, forgetfulness, and a weakened immune system.

How much sleep do you need?

The amount of sleep you need will depend on many factors, such as age and activity level. As a general rule of thumb, you should aim for between 7 and 9 hours of sleep. This amount of sleep will be sufficient for most people to avoid any negative health consequences of inadequate sleep.