Studies have shown that modern-day living in several countries, including the United States, is not usually accommodative when it comes to getting quality sleep. However, getting enough sleep is as important as exercising and eating a nutritious and balanced diet.
Although individual sleep needs may vary, the recommended amount is eight hours, and depriving yourself of this could be detrimental to mental and physical health. On that note, here are four interesting benefits of a quality sleep worth knowing.
Improved social and emotional intelligence
According to a study, getting enough sleep can improve your social and emotional intelligence. This means reading people’s emotions and expressions, and sometimes yours can be challenging when you are not getting the right amount of sleep. Sleep deprivation can also affect your emotional empathy.
A good night’s sleep makes you feel great and helps you identify and manage your emotions. It also enables you to build empathy and spark creativity. One study suggests that sufficient night’s sleep can improve your problem-solving skills by 15 to 35%.
Better athletic performance
Sleep has been proven to help athletes perform better. For example, a Stanford study showed that basketball players who increased their sleep to more than 10 hours had more positive outcomes. They were shown to run faster in both half and full-court sprints than those with less sleep.
Numerous other studies have demonstrated that getting enough sleep improves reaction time, muscular endurance, fine motor skills, and problem-solving abilities. On the other hand, sleep deprivation can decrease your motivation to exercise and cause injury risks. For this reason, it is essential to get enough quality sleep to boost your performance.
Improved hearing health
While experts recommend seven hours of night sleep, get more if that is what you need. Your hearing can benefit from good quality sleep, just as every other aspect of your health. In the same way, your ear health can affect your sleep quality.
For example, sleep apnea could suggest underlying ear issues, such as inflammation or inadequate circulation. If you suspect you have this condition, schedule an appointment with your doctor. Because there appears to be a strong link between sleep and hearing health, try your best to keep healthy sleep and auditory-related habits.
For example, try going to bed earlier and consider getting a regular hearing screening.
Better weight management
Several studies have defined short sleep as sleeping less than seven hours each night and have linked it to increased risk of weight gain and higher body mass index (BMI). A 2020 study suggests that individuals who slept less than seven hours each night had a 40% risk of becoming obese. Longer sleep didn’t, however, raise the risk.
Additionally, several factors, including hormones and motivation to exercise, are thought to influence sleep’s effect on weight gain.
Sleep hygiene is one of the cornerstones of health. Sleep contributes to brain nutrition, and getting less can cause your body to respond in unexpected (and mostly negative) ways. So you want to prioritize sleep just as you do your diet and exercising.
