Why is sleep important?

Why do we need sleep?

Many of us would probably like the day to stretch like rubber. Work, household and family duties, as well as sports and entertainment mean that the time we devote to sleep is getting shorter and shorter. The latest research shows that the vast majority of Poles sleep too little . This of course translates into a feeling of tiredness and irritability.

There’s no denying that we live in a culture that promotes working late and waking up at ungodly hours to squeeze every last drop out of the day. How many times have you heard someone brag about how little sleep they got? We often feel guilty that by going to bed too early, we’re missing out on opportunities and neglecting our careers or personal lives.

Meanwhile, by adding an hour to sleep, we can make the remaining 16-18 hours of the day truly be filled to the max! When we allow ourselves to rest, the day becomes fuller; our relationships with people become deeper, and the time of increased concentration is longer.

Why is sleep so important?

• Sleep is not only regeneration, but also your ally in weight loss . As shown by research by the American National Institute of Health, people who suffer from insufficient sleep usually have higher levels of grenalin - a hormone responsible for the feeling of hunger in the body, and more often reach for snacks during the day.
• Sleep plays an incredibly important role in supporting learning and memory . Without enough rest, we are unable to function at our best, we have trouble concentrating and remembering new information.
• We also often lack motivation . Who wants to exercise when their energy literally evaporates?
• Another important aspect is the decrease in immunity. The fact is that with little sleep our immune system does not work fast enough, which can result in more frequent infections. Lack of sleep causes an increase in cortisol, the so-called stress hormone. Cortisol prevents us from functioning properly on a daily basis. Constantly being under "high" stress destroys the immune system's reactions when something is actually happening to us.

How much sleep do you need to get enough sleep?

The answer is: watch your mind and your body! Everyone has a slightly different biological clock. Some people are fine with 6 hours, others feel better after eight. A lot also depends on the quality of sleep itself. So what can you do to ensure better sleep?

• Put away the electronics! Stop looking at your laptop or phone screen an hour or two before going to bed. Studies show that the brain reacts badly to a bright screen and “thinks” that it should still be active.
• Remember your diet! Do not eat heavy food at night. Despite popular opinions, alcohol has a very bad effect on sleep. It may be easier for us to fall asleep, but the quality of sleep after alcohol drops significantly.
• Air out your bedroom and sleep with an open window! A good temperature for sleeping is 19-21 degrees.

Try to move during the day (even if you have a day off from the gym). Take a bike to work; get off a stop earlier or park a few blocks away. Exercise relaxes the mind and helps with better hormonal balance.