About one-third of your day is spent in bed. Whether this is a good experience or a bad experience depends on many factors. We all need to get an adequate amount of rest in order to stay healthy and function efficiently and effectively. Research shows that lack of sleep, or disrupted sleep, can have detrimental short- and long-term effects, says Lisa Shives, MD, medical director at Northshore Sleep Medicine in Evanston, IL.
A Good Night’s Sleep Should Be a Priority in Your Life
Men’s Health gathered seven surprising ways that sleep affects your health and we thought it would only be best to share some of them!
It bumps up your blood pressure. Bedtime is supposed to be time to relax, but if you have disrupted sleep or sleep deprivation, that nighttime stress can be just as harmful as any tension during the day. Lack of sleep can raise blood pressure and cause hypertension in adults, according to an issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. “Research has shown stress hormones tend to be elevated in short sleepers or people who are sleep deprived,” says Dr. Shives.
It makes you depressed. Without a good night’s rest, you may feel grouchy in the morning, but an ongoing lack of sleep can eventually heighten your risk of depression. It dulls your mood and steals your memories. Commonly known as the stage of sleep in which we dream, the REM cycle of sleep has daytime effects as well. But if your sleep is frequently interrupted, your brain may spend less time in the much-needed REM state.
It threatens your job. Feel drowsy during your workday? Lack of sleep may be undermining your performance, but there’s a quick fix.
According to a study presented at the 2009 APSS annual meeting, a short nap may boost your mood and performance on cognitive tasks. It puts you at risk for weight gain and cancer. If you’re not spending quality time with your bed, you have a higher risk of obesity and certain cancers. Now, these findings are all preventable and curable with a good night’s rest.
Sleep Better Tonight
The right mattress can really impact your ability to have a good night’s sleep. Make sure to consult with your Sherwood Bedding representative to see what type of mattress can improve your sleep.