Looking for the secret of health, success and happiness? Try sleeping!

július 10, 2021 Orbán András

Everyone can relate to the feeling when you are tired but you can’t sleep and you only get more tired and frustrated because of the fact that you can’t sleep. It might be shocking, but the majority of people are sleep-deprived. But why is it such a serious problem?

Why is sleep important?

Getting enough sleep is a key factor in our daily life because otherwise we are less productive – quality sleep boosts your memory, concentration and productivity. Sleep can also affect your mental health, and it has been linked to social and emotional intelligence. People with sleep disorders are more likely to get depression.

One of the greatest benefits of sleep is the fact that it makes your immune system stronger: with enough sleep your body will most likely beat infections and illnesses. While we are sleeping, our temperature and blood pressure decreases and our breathing slows down. Meanwhile, our body can regenerate our muscles and reload power. Some studies have found that enough sleep can even prevent heart diseases such as high blood pressure.

However, there are different types of sleep disorders that might make you struggle with sleep. The most common one is insomnia (having trouble falling and staying asleep). It mostly appears due to stress, anxiety or depression, and can lead to fatal consequences if not treated properly.

What factors affect the quality of your sleep?

1. The environment

Your bedroom can be one of the most important things that influence your sleep. While you are asleep, you must feel completely safe and comfortable. Your bedroom is supposed to be dark, quiet, not too hot and a place that you like.

2. Stress

Chronic stress can keep you up at night worrying about your problems. In this case the best thing to do is trying to reduce the stress with different methods, like meditation or yoga.

3. Mental health

Other phenomena having a disadvantageous impact on your biological clock could be mental health problems like anxiety and depression, which often prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep, leading to exhaustion and causing even more serious problems. Never underestimate the signs of your body, don’t be afraid to ask for some help.

4. Late-night food

Everyone has been told not to eat too much before going to bed – well, this is some advice that should be taken. Digesting the food that you eat before sleeping can easily make you stay up at night, that is why we should stop eating 1-2 hours before going to bed.

What makes you feel tired at night?

Every time you should be going to sleep, your body starts to produce the hormone called melatonin. Around 9-10 pm, when its fully dark outside, is the time when your body contains the highest amount of melatonin in order to make you feel tired as a signal to get you to bed. Most experts say it’s best to go to sleep around 10 pm, when your melatonin level is the highest, because that’s when you will get the best quality of sleep, as your body will most likely be in deep sleep.

Some people who usually can’t sleep buy melatonin tablets, which contain the hormone and help people sleep. Most people taking these tablets wonder why their body can’t produce enough melatonin, but they don’t know that the light of your phone, called blue light, destroys melatonin and stops you from falling asleep.

What happens when you don’t get enough sleep?

An average person needs 7-8 hours of sleep. Lack of sleep leads to poor memory, and it can affect your concentration and how you process information. It can also have a strong impact on your social life as you might become moody, irritable and less likely to participate. As it has been mentioned above, your immune system won’t work properly, and you can’t fight illnesses. What’s more, constant sleep deprivation might lead to serious mental disorders.

As you see, sleep is not a waste of time! Having trouble with your sleep 3 times a week can cause significant issues. If you are a person who only sleeps 4-5 hours a day, you should definitely change that as fast as you can – do your body a favour by getting enough sleep. Always remember: sleeping is an important habit of healthy, happy and successful people!

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Orbán András