Sleeping Your Way to Better Health

Image Credit: Quinn Dombrowski

Are you getting enough sleep? Sleeping too much? Either way you will certainly not be feeling your best each day and could potentially be cutting years off your lifespan.  So how long should you be sleeping each night? General consensus seems to be that the crucial amount of sleep is between 6.5 and 7.5, any more or less and you are doing your body a great disservice. In fact, people who get a night’s sleep in this range tend to live longer than most and are at less risk for many diseases and disorders.

Getting the proper amount of sleep will also keep your memory sharp. Depriving your brain of enough rest can “age” your brain years, resulting in poor concentration and memory. Give your brain enough sleep and you will notice not only will your concentration and memory improve, but also your mood and ability to reason.

The right amount of sleep each night will also help you stay trim. Sleep deprivation stresses your body out resulting in the release of hormones that interfere with insulin function making you crave sweets and other yummy bad for you foods that you might not crave otherwise. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a correlation has been found between people who oversleep and obesity. All the more reason to make sure you’re sleeping the proper number of hours each night.

Although we may not understand all the reasons why the correct amount of sleep has so many benefits for the body, we do know that the crucial 6.5 to 7.5 hours a night makes a world of difference to your health and well-being.

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Disclaimer: Daily Quirk Health & Wellness Articles are strictly the opinions of the writers and should not be taken as medical advice. Do not make any changes to your health and wellness routines before consulting a physician.

References

Blue, Laura. “How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?” Time Magazine. 27 May 2012. <http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1812420,00.html&gt;

Stephens, Betsey. “5 Reasons You Need More Sleep.” Shape Magazine. 27 May 2012. <http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/5-reasons-you-need-more-sleep&gt;

Usigan, Ysolt. “6 Reasons You Need More Sleep.” Shape Magazine. 27 May 2012. <http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/6-reasons-you-need-more-sleep?page=3&gt;