You know that sleep is important, but you might not realize how it improves mental well-being. Understanding the reasons can improve your daily life.
Striving for success can often feel like an uphill battle requiring Herculean effort. When you’re constantly pushing yourself to the limit, letting your self-care fall by the wayside can be easy. However, getting enough shut-eye is crucial for optimal mental health. Research shows that skimping on sleep can make achieving your goals more difficult. Take a look at these five ways sleep improves your mental health and outlook on life.
Happier Mood
A good night’s sleep will leave you feeling refreshed and happy the next day. Sleeplessness contributes to negative moods such as sadness, anxiety, and irritability. Lack of sleep can also contribute to mood disorders such as depression, which makes getting out of bed and functioning during the day more difficult.
Faster Brain Functions
Your brain needs sleep to work properly and to allow you to pursue your goals and dreams every day. When you’re tired, your reaction time slows down, and you’re less able to focus. Getting enough rest allows your brain to process information more quickly and make better decisions. Without proper sleep, you may find staying on task and completing complex tasks more challenging.
Better Blood Circulation
Sleep is one of the main factors in maintaining a healthy circulatory system. Your blood pressure decreases when you’re asleep, and your heart rate slows down. Sleep gives your heart and blood vessels a chance to rest and repair any damage done throughout the day. Over time, sleep deprivation can lead to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.
An ergonomic bed and adjustable bed frame can further boost your health, improving circulation and reducing pain by elevating your legs and feet while you sleep.
Better Weight Control
When you’re exhausted, resisting unhealthy foods that can sabotage your diet goals can be a challenge. Sleep deprivation increases ghrelin levels, which makes you feel hungrier. Lack of sleep also decreases leptin levels, which are responsible for feelings of fullness. In other words, when you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more likely to overeat and gain weight.
Lowered Stress
We all know that stress can take a toll on our mental health. Ongoing stress can lead to anxiety, depression, and even physical health problems.
Sleep is one of the best ways to combat stress. During sleep, your body releases relaxing hormones such as serotonin and melatonin, reducing stress and improving your mood.
Sleep can be make the difference in improving your mental health and well-being. When you’re well-rested, you feel happier, have better focus and concentration, make healthier food choices, and have reduced stress levels. Make sure to get at least seven hours of sleep per night so that you can wake up and feel motivated to take on the day.
