Prioritising good sleep is good self love

Good night's sleep results in a great productive daytime, don't you agree?

When I'm sleep-deprived, this can be seen in the quality of the activities performed during the day. I never take good quality sleep for granted, as I have to invest more effort to achieve it than average. Lack of sleep significantly affects the state of body and mind, and less than 7-8 hours of sleep for me means disaster during the day. Let's explain why sleep is so important:

I. Sleep contributes to good mental health

Sleep and mental health are very closely connected. When it comes to sleep deprivation, it can vastly affect your mental and psychological health. Lack of sleep is also more likely to cause anxiety attacks and depression. I know that when I lack sleep, I am much more irritable, and the problems that usually seem small suddenly become immense.

II. Regeneration of the body and brain

It does go without saying that we need a good night’s sleep to feel re-energized for our daily activities. But what I find most interesting is that a good night’s sleep also helps to boost the reproduction of the cells involved in brain repair.

III. Glucose regulation

Did you know that when we lack sleep, we are prone to overeating? This is because with chronic lack of sleep, the hormone leptin, which regulates satiety, decreases, and the level of a hormone called ghrelin - better known as the hunger hormone - rises.

IV. Heart health

If you sleep less than 6 hours a night, the chance of having a stroke increases by as much as four times. Chronic lack of sleep also leads to high blood pressure. I have been dealing with extrasystoles, a heartbeat disorder, for more than five years. It means that my heart has periods when it contracts too fast, which feels like it's skipping a bit. Unfortunately, this is not happening because my heart is filled with too much love ( I'm not saying it is not), but stress is the leading cause. When my sleep is of lower quality, these problems get more pronounced.

V. Lower risk of developing a disease!

Lack of sleep contributes to the formation of unwanted molecular, immune, and neurological changes. This can lead to many diseases. Also, with chronic sleep deprivation, the CRP inflammation rate increases. Lack of sleep is strongly associated with cancer development. Studies have shown that women who sleep an average of 8 hours or more are less likely to develop breast cancer.

I know that when I lack sleep, I am much more irritable, and the problems that usually seem small suddenly become immense.

Awareness of the benefits (main but far from all) stated above was a big step for me towards a healthier lifestyle and establishing a routine that helps better cope with daily stress and improves sleep hygiene. In the next blog, I will write more about how I achieved it.