Why sleep is important and how to sleep better

It is well known fact that sleep is essential for human health, we are physically and emotionally restored by sleep. We spend a third of our lives sleeping. To benefit from all this time we spend asleep we need to know the way to do it right.

Steps to high-quality sleep:

Make sure the room is dark

Melatonin is a hormone made by the retina and brain while we sleep. When light hits the retina, even if the eyes are closed, melatonin stops being produced. The importance of this hormone is proven by many scientists.

In 2007, the research showed that men who received melatonin before going to bed doubled their growth hormone levels.

The importance of the hormone was also proven by Russian scientists studied the influence of melatonin on night's sleep quality. 40 patients with insomnia who took melatonin for 5 days participated in the study. Before taking the hormone, patients complained about difficulties falling asleep (90%), frequent awakening at night (70%), light sleep (60%), difficulty getting back to sleep after waking up at night (50%), and early morning awakening (65%). After taking supplements, all these indicators improved significantly: 90% of patients began to fall asleep faster, 85% began to fall into deep sleep without frequent awakening.

Stick to the routine

You should go to bed and get up at the same time. Our body appreciates us being consistent. Keep in mind that you shouldn't fall asleep later than 11 p.m, considering that this is the time when melatonin starts to actively release.

Keep your bedroom cool

The most comfortable temperature for a good sleep is 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Avoid heavy meals, drinking alcohol and smoking late in the evening

All of the above can negatively affect your sleep quality.

How much sleep do we need? For proper physical and mental activity, a person needs about 8 hours of sleep. People who sleep less than 6 hours have a greater risk of getting sick. That was proven by scientists from the University of California in San Francisco.

The University of Pennsylvania also conducted a large-scale study on sleep issues. 48 men and women who usually slept for 7-8 hours took part in the study. They were divided into three groups: the first group, people had to sleep for 4 hours a day for 2 weeks, the second – for 6 hours, the third – for 8 hours a day.

As a result people who slept for 8 hours showed no disbalance regarding their well-being, while the participants from groups 1 and 2 gradually deteriorated their characteristics. After 2 weeks, people who slept for 4 and 6 hours had the same indicators as if they had no sleep for two days.

Here are the main advantages of decent eight-hour sleep:

Helps to prevent overeating throughout the day

Sleep-deprived individuals tend to consume an average of 385 more calories per day.

Impacts well-being

Lack of sleep can have major effect on your mood, cause increased irritability that may develop into a depression over time.

Improves overall health

Poor sleep can impact blood pressure and heart rate.

Affects reasoning and memory function

Our brain rests during a night's sleep only.

Quality sleep plays a key role in our health and well-being. Constant lack of sleep can cause serious harm to our body, so make an effort to go to bed at the same time and sleep the recommended 7 - 8 hours.