The Importance of Sleep
Sleep is a crucial part in helping you rest and recover. After a good night’s sleep, we wake up with our bodies feeling rejuvenated and ready for the day.
Here are just a few of the many benefits of a good snooze:
- Cellular recovery- our cells repair and regrow whilst we sleep
- Brain function- after a bad night’s sleep we often feel like we cannot focus properly. This is because whilst we sleep the brain reorganises the millions of neurons, enhancing our brain function.
- Emotional and Mental wellbeing- Our emotional and mental wellbeing improves when we have a good night’s sleep as our brain structures rest and recover.
- Heart Health- whilst we sleep, our heart rate reduces, allowing your heart to rest and recover.
There are four stages of sleep which our body goes through. There is REM ( Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which first occurs when we start to fall asleep. The other three stages are Non-REM sleep, also known as slow-wave or deep sleep, which is essential for muscle recovery and restoring the body.
So how much sleep do YOU need?:
The recommended amount of sleep varies depending on age, but it tends to be between 7–10 hours. Everyone is different and so only you will really know how long is ample for you to feel energised.
Here are 5 tips to make sure you get a good rest:
- Have a consistent bedtime routine
- Limit caffeine intake in the evening
- Avoid screens an hour before you go to sleep
- Exercise during the day as this tires you out
- Allow yourself down time to relax before bed- you can use a massage device to help you!
It can be hard to get a good night’s sleep, especially with worries of day-to-day life. However, it is imperative that we carve out time to look after our wellbeing and get the sleep we need.
