It’s no secret: Getting a good night’s sleep can make us feel good. However, many people don’t realize just how important sleep is to our health. The amount of sleep needed varies based on your age, but most adults need around seven to nine hours of good sleep per day to function optimally and stay healthy.

Not Getting Enough Sleep has Big Risks and Little Reward.

You’ve probably felt “off” after insufficient sleep. The negative effects go beyond what you might realize. Without sufficient sleep, you are twice as likely to get into a car accident when you’re driving tired compared to being rested.

Besides immediate consequences, lack of sleep can create many subtle issues, often turning into long-term problems. By getting enough sleep, you not only avoid these complications but also reap the immense benefits that come with proper rest.

Getting Enough Sleep Can Improve Your Immune System

When your body gets the rest it requires, your immune cells and proteins can more effectively fight off whatever comes their way. If you don’t get enough sleep, you may not be able to fight off common infections like the flu and common cold.

Further, good sleep can improve the effectiveness of vaccines. If you suffer from sleep deficiency, your body could have a poor response to vaccines. Whether you need a routine flu shot or you are getting your COVID-19 vaccine, getting adequate sleep can help your body to receive vaccines properly and efficiently.

Sleeping Well Can Help You Keep a Healthy Weight

Along with keeping a healthy diet and exercising regularly, getting enough sleep can work wonders for your metabolism and help you maintain a healthy weight. Essentially, sleep reduces your chances of becoming overweight. Those who sleep fewer than seven hours per night are more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI) and become obese. Sleep impacts your hormone levels, and poor sleep can disrupt the hormones that control appetite. This can make you less likely to reach for junk food or over-eat when you have had a good night’s rest.

Adequate Rest Can Lower Stress and Improve Mood

Sleep helps your mind and body to decompress after a long day. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases stress hormones, making you act in ways that aren’t productive. When your stress levels are high, you may make rash decisions and feel irritable.

Sleep also affects your mental health.

Without enough sleep, you may experience feelings like:

·     Anxiety

·     Mood swings

·     Anger

·     Difficulty coping with change

·     Difficulty controlling your emotions

·     Sadness or depression

·     Impulsive or risky behavior

When you wake up from a night of inadequate sleep, you can feel a whirlwind of negative emotions or feel unlike yourself, making it hard to accomplish what you planned on doing that day. When you wakeup from a good night of sleep, you feel refreshed and ready to take on the day. Minor changes and minor annoyances won’t feel as heightened, and you can go about your day free from stress and negativity.

Catching Some Zzz’s Can Increase Productivity and Performance

You may think that putting in extra work in the late-night hours is setting you up for success, but it is doing more harm than good. Doctors link quality sleep to improved concentration and cognitive function, which can help you be even more productive at work or school.

A sleepless night will make you more likely to reach for a cup, or two or three, of coffee to help get you through the day. The increase in caffeine can set you up for another night of restlessness.

Sleep helps with athletic performance as well. Whether you are an athlete or a frequent gym-goer, sufficient sleep will help you excel in all areas of exercise. Studies show increase hand-eye coordination, reaction time, and aids in muscle recovery. It can also help with balance, allowing you to avoid injury while you engage in physical activity. Getting a good night’s sleep might just put you a step ahead of others in your sport, field of work, or academic achievement.

Getting Enough Sleep Will Lower Your Risk for Disease

When you sleep well, your body’s hormones get to work on healing your heart and blood vessels to keep them healthy. Pulling an all-nighter deprives your hormones of time to work, resulting in a higher risk of developing detrimental conditions.

Prolonged lack of sleep is often associated with:

High blood pressure - A common condition in which the force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems such as heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and more.

Kidney disease - Gradual loss of kidney function, meaning the kidneys can no longer filter waste and regulate water and acid in the blood as well as they should.

Heart disease - The leading cause of death in the United States. Heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions.

Stroke - A stroke is caused by an interrupted blood supply to a portion of the brain and can cause a variety of symptoms like facial drooping, arm and leg weakness, speech difficulties, vision loss, dizziness, and more.

Your whole body needs rest to function properly. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, be sure to bring it up in your check-up with your doctor and see how you can prevent developing these health problems.

Your Doctor Can Help You Get Enough Sleep

Getting a good night’s rest is one of the best things youcan do for your physical and mental health. The concierge doctors at Connected Health take you and your quality of sleep as seriously as you should. With 24/7 access to your care team, being a concierge primary care member means you’re not alone on your health journey.

If your PCP treats your poor sleep as a trivial part of being an adult or does not have time to help you find a long-term solution, perhaps it is time to schedule a free tour of Connected Health and meet one of our providers today. You can schedule a consult or call our office at 724-933-4305 to book a 100% risk-free look into better health.