Think about everything our bodies and minds do in one day. The thousands of thoughts, decisions and ideas that run through our minds on top of the physical movement of our bodies from everyday activities to the things we don’t consciously notice like our hearts beating and lungs breathing. 

Our lifestyles in the 21st century can be incredibly demanding, so routinely getting a good sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing for dozens of reasons.

Sleep helps you learn and concentrate ~ While you’re sleeping, your brain is committing information it has absorbed to memory, making it easier to learn and recall the new information. It also gives your brain a chance to catch up and prepare for the next day, improving concentration and productivity.

Sleep helps lower the risk of serious disease ~ Many studies indicate that people who don’t get a good amount of sleep are at more risk of heart complications, strokes, kidney failure, diabetes, and high blood pressure. This is because sleep allows the body to rest, repair, and heal muscles, blood vessels, and contribute to other important functions such as your immune system, insulin levels, and hormone balance.

Sleep can help maintain a healthy weight ~ The hormones responsible for hunger and fullness require balance to function properly. Sleep aids in maintaining a healthy balance between ghrelin (the hungry hormone), and leptin (the full hormone).When someone is lacking good quality sleep, the body produces more of the hungry hormone and less of the full, making you feel hungrier than you would if you’d had enough sleep.

Sleep helps with emotional health ~ During sleep, your brain works on processing emotions as well as new information. When someone is lacking sleep, they are more likely to be irritable, moody, impatient, anxious, and other negative emotional states. Good quality sleep can help reduce the risk of mood disorders such as depression and chronic anxiety through the brain’s ability to process and react to your emotions.

Sleep helps keep you safe  ~ When you haven’t had enough sleep, important functions such as reaction speeds and concentration are significantly impaired, making activities such as driving and working much more of a risk to your personal safety. Sleep is essential for keeping your brain active and sharp, and your body rested and strong to function at its best.