Why A Good Night’s Sleep Is Essential In 2021 | 5 Incredible Benefits Of Sleep

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
How many of you are aware of this very well known proverb? Well, Most of us would have heard this famous saying numerous times from our parents and teachers during our adolescence. Isn’t it? How many of us have considered following this lifestyle in this modern age of living? Not many!

 Dr Kausthub Desikachar says a good night’s sleep is vital for your well-being. We need sleep to survive, just like we need food and water every other day. In this article, Dr Kausthub Desikachar talks about why a good night’s sleep is essential and five incredible benefits of sleep.

Why Is a Good Night’s Sleep Essential?

Are you feeling drained out or exhausted throughout the day? Do you bank on coffee to get over the day? Craving to eat those unhealthy junk all the time? The reason could be that you’re sleep-deprived. The major part of your mood during the day depends upon your last night’s sleep.

While you’re asleep;

• Your brain and body are involved at work, healing your body
• Repairing cells
• Boosting your immunity
• Washing out all the unwanted emotions and toxins
• Restoring energy 

All of these effects combined equips you for the next day, feeling rejuvenated and brisk. Studies also show that the damage from sleep deficiency alters some parts of the brain that can affect; 
How you think, react, work, learn new stuff, remember things, solve problems, make decisions, crave unhealthy food, control emotions and behaviour.
Not just that, when people get less than 6 to 7hours of sleep each night, they are more prominent of developing some lingering health problems like depression, cognitive decline, obesity, heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke.

How Much Sleep Do We Need?

In this modernized era, people must make an effort to get enough sleep regularly. The number of hours a person needs to sleep varies from every individual and their age. Experts advise to follow the below hours of sleep suggested by SleepScore:

• Newborns(ages 0-3 months) require 14-17 hours of sleep a day.
• Infants (ages 4-12 months) require 12-16 hours a day
• Toddlers (1-2 years of age) require about 11-14 hours a day.
• Pre-school children (3-5 years) need 10-13 hours of sleep a day.
• School-going children (6-13 years ) need 9-12 hours of sleep a day.
• Teenagers (ages 14-17) require about 8-10 hours of sleep each day.
• Most adults(ages 18-60) need 7 to 9 hours, although some people may need as few as 6-7 hours every day.
• Older adults ( 65 years and above ) require 7-8 hours of sleep each day.
• Women in the first three months of their pregnancy usually necessitate an extended dosage of sleep than average. 

Five Incredible Benefits Of Getting a Good Sleep

Dr Kausthub Desikachar shares the five most incredible benefits of getting quality sleep that may even leave you surprised. 

Healthy Heart

Getting quality enough sleep keeps your heart healthier. Sleep deprivation is linked with elevated blood pressure and certain chemicals linked with inflammation that can place added strain on your heart, leaving behind some critical heart disease.  

Improved Emotional Well-being, Productivity And Focus

Sleep plays a big part in keeping your brain energized and alert. Getting enough sleep helps to learn new stuff, focus, and be productive in whatever you do. A good night’s sleep can protect you from mood swings, depression, stress and anxiety, keeping you emotionally healthy. Long-term sleep deprivation also leads to risk factor like stroke. 

Stronger Immune System 

While you’re asleep, your body repairs the cells, regenerates, and recovers, keeping your immune system strong. The better your quality of sleep, the more your body fights off infection and keeps you healthy. 

Better Weight Management

Leptin and Ghrelin are the body’s hunger hormones that regulate and manage your appetite. When you’ve had a good sleep, you’re less hungry. Lack of sleep creates chaos with your hunger hormones and tempts you to eat unhealthy food, making you obese. Don’t ignore to get a good night’s sleep if you are on the lookout to lose those excess fats from the body. 

Enhanced Reproductive Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sleep deprivation can affect the hormones related to fertility in both women and men. Your sleep is further accountable for triggering the regular release of hormones that affect women’s ovulation and sperm maturation in men.
Evidently, long-term sleep deprivation can cause trouble conceiving. 

Conclusion

Dr Kausthub Desikachar says though it will be challenging to adapt to this new habit, the gradual addition of hours you sleep will lead you to win this battle in no time. Let us all give our body the sleep it needs and the time it needs to heal our body and keep us healthy. “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Have a Good Night’s sleep every day.