In a world of fast-paced, busy lives sleep often becomes forgotten, or drops down our priority list. I know from personal experience when I feel stressed and don’t get enough sleep I then struggle to focus, stay on track, and look after myself. We need to find ways to keep our diets healthy and balanced to provide all the essential nutrients we need to thrive.
The quantity and quality of your sleep can have significant knock-on effects on many aspects of your overall health. With that in mind, here are some of the ways that sleeping properly could make you happier and healthier.
This means that, if you’re one of the millions spending their nights staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning, or counting sheep in vain, then a change needs to be made.
1. Stay healthy
Research has uncovered a clear association between poor sleep and weight gain. On average, people who do not sleep enough or have poor quality or interrupted rest weigh significantly more than those who get adequate sleep.
Studies have demonstrated that individuals who do not get enough sleep often have larger appetites and, as such, eat more calories than people that get adequate rest. And it has been suggested that sleep deprivation could lead to higher levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone and lower levels of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite.
2. Be more productive
We’ve all experienced feeling sluggish and distracted after a poor night’s sleep. Now, research is coming out to support the notion that sleep is vital for proper brain function. Various aspects of our mental sharpness are negatively impacted when we are sleep deprived. For example, cognition, focus, performance and productivity may all take a hit when someone is routinely not getting enough quality rest.
If you are concerned that your productivity and performance are not improving despite sleeping for long enough and regularly enough, it might help to look at your mattress. The right mattress has been shown to enhance the quality of peoples’ sleep, so switching this could make all the difference to your rest.
If you’re in the market for a new mattress, check out Simba for an array of bed frames and mattresses all made with thought around innovation and a good night’s sleep. You’ll spend about one third of your life asleep – which is why it’s so important to choose a high-quality bed frame that helps you sleep as soundly as possible.
3. Improve performance
Time and time again, sleep has been shown to impact individuals’ athletic performances. For example, a study investigating the impact of sleep on the athletic performance of basketball players suggested that proper rest can significantly boost speed, accuracy and reaction times.
On top of this, any athlete will tell you that strong sporting performances rely heavily on mental wellbeing and resilience. The association between sleep and mental wellbeing means that athletes can generally perform to a higher standard on a mental level when they get enough rest.
4. Boost your immune system
Even a seemingly insignificant loss of sleep may have a tangible effect on immune function. In a study where researchers administered the common cold to participants and monitored their response to this over two weeks, they found an interesting link between sleep and immune function.
It was found that individuals who got less than seven hours of rest each night were more likely to display cold symptoms than those who were sleeping for eight hours or more. If you regularly struggle with colds and other illnesses, you could help your body and immune system fight off pathogens by getting more quality sleep.
5. Improve your relationships
Sleep-deprived individuals regularly complain about their ability to interact socially and maintain healthy relationships. Several studies have demonstrated that people running on too little sleep are generally worse at recognising facial expressions associated with anger or happiness than well-rested individuals.
It has also been suggested that we might be worse at distinguishing other social cues when we are sleep deprived. Additionally, inadequate sleep could also reduce our ability to process emotional information.
How important is sleep to you? Drop your top tips in the comments below!
My Travel Tips and Recommendations
Flights
To book flights, I always use flight search engine Skyscanner, I regularly use the Everywhere tool to find the cheapest places to travel. It’s how I get to travel so much all around the world. I find it the easiest way to compare flight prices across airlines and get the best deals.
Accommodation
For accommodation, I usually book most of my hotels or hostels through Booking.com. I love using this platform as it provides me with some amazing deals for accommodation all around the world. Or if you prefer, I also recommend using Airbnb.
Travel Insurance
Picking travel insurance that covers you in all eventualities is an essential part of planning a trip for every single person. If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel. You never know what’s around the corner.
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Thank you for reading and as always happy adventuring! If you have any questions about the destination please leave these in the comments below.
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Sophie X
