5 Health Benefits Of Good Sleeping Habits

We all savor the downtime provided by a good night’s sleep, but few understand the full spectrum of awesomeness that results from getting plenty of sleep.  Your body needs the rest that sleep provides for many different processes.  

Take some time to learn a little more about just how important a good night’s sleep can be for your health.  The amount of sleep your body needs is dependant upon your age and health status.  Here are a few of the most significant health benefits of proper sleeping habits.  

Restful sleep helps the body heal

The human body needs sleep to regenerate its energy and stamina.  Sleeping well at night helps your muscles to heal and recuperate after a hard workout.  Sleep is especially useful for the body of an athlete.  

One study from Stanford University showed evidence that healthy regular sleeping patterns boost performance on the field for football players.  The player’s sprint times and stamina both showed marked improvement after eight weeks of 10-hrs per night.  

Sleep lowers stress and inflammation in the body

Sleeping well through the night is great for lowering stress on the body, and lowering stress helps to lower cortisol and inflammation levels.  For those who deal with chronic inflammatory illnesses, sleep is even more important.  

The quality of your sleep directly affects the beneficial properties of resting your body, as well.  If you are not sleeping well throughout the night due to some medical challenges, then it is important to address those issues as soon as possible.  

For example, if you grind your teeth at night, it can be very disruptive to your sleeping patterns.  A simple mouth guard can make a world of difference in the quality of your rest.  

Your mind benefits from restful sleep

You need plenty of sleep to maintain your mental health.  Your physical health is important, but you are not much good when you cannot think straight either.  Sleep rests your body and your mind.  

The human body can only go a couple of days without sleep before it begins breaking down.  Your cognitive function begins breaking down after only one missed sleep cycle.  If you intend on keeping a sharp mind for many years, then you need to invest all you can into developing quality sleeping patterns.  

Sleep is effective when it comes to weight control

Sleep is also an effective tool for maintaining a healthy body weight.  When the body is well-rested, your dieting and exercise will break down more fat than muscle.  Any time you intend on augmenting your regimen for weight control, add a healthy night’s sleep to the to-do list.