Exercise AND Sleep (Part One): Why Sleep is SO Vital

So far in our “Exercise AND” series we’ve covered some of the biggest aspects that make up our overall health, including nutrition, hydration, stress management, and social support. All of these aspects - and more - are intertwined and work together as building blocks for our health as a whole. While it can be tempting to focus on just one aspect (like exercise), it’s important to not overemphasize some areas, while neglecting others. One area that is commonly neglected is the one that we are covering today: SLEEP. I think we all know that sleep is important. But do we treat it like it is as essential to our health as all of the other aspects? Well, we think it is so essential that we are going to take two posts to cover this topic. Today we’ll be chatting about exactly why sleep is so significant, as well as the risks of poor sleep. Then next week we’ll be offering tips on how to get better sleep. Let’s dive in!

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SLEEP
No matter your age, sleep is an absolute essential to survival. It’s a natural function our body knows it needs. Without it, our bodies will creep into dysfunction. While it is true that babies, children, and even teenagers need more sleep to aid their growth and development, adults still need a quality amount of sleep for their own healthy functioning (usually between 7-9 hours a night). We never outgrow our need for it. Even though it can seem “unproductive” because we’re not actively doing anything, the brain and body are at work to keep all of the body’s systems effectively functioning. Here are just a few ways it does that through the many phases of sleep:

• The brain is allowed time to form and maintain pathways that let it process new information and create new memories. This also helps us have better concentration, quicker responses, and greater productivity.
• Toxins that build up in the brain while we are awake are removed.
• The heart and vascular system are given the chance to slow down and rest.
• Cells and tissues are restored and repaired (which is important for muscle recovery).
• It boosts our immune system and helps us heal when we are sick
• Important hormones are released, including growth hormones that help children grow, and sex hormones that contribute to puberty and fertility.
• The body becomes rested and has energy to take on the next day

Who would have thought that our body does so much when we are unconscious? On the flip side, though, if we don’t get an adequate amount of sleep, we not only miss out on these benefits - we also put our health at higher risk.

RISKS OF POOR SLEEP OR SLEEP DEPRIVATION
It’s obvious that not getting enough sleep leaves us feeling tired during the day, but the more sleep deprivation becomes a chronic concern, the more your physical and mental health are negatively impacted. Here’s how:

• Sleep deprivation directly affects your ability to think clearly and wisely, react quickly, stay awake when you need to, and even form memories. This means that your performance at work, your focus in school, your mindfulness of your kids, or your attention while you drive could all be impacted - which in many cases can be life-threatening for yourself or others.
• Sleep deprivation can cause mood changes, which we all know can affect our relationships.
• Sleep deprivation has strong correlations with cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
• Sleep deprivation can impact the body’s regulation of blood sugar, and therefore increases the risk of metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes.
• Sleep deprivation often leads people to consume more calories and carbohydrates. Too much of that can all too quickly lead to rapid weight gain or challenges in maintaining a healthy weight.
• Sleep deprivation prohibits the body from getting the immune system boost it needs, so you can be at higher risk of getting sick.
• Sleep deprivation means hormone production and release is halted or diminished, affecting things like a child’s growth, and the ability to build muscle mass, fight infections, and repair cells.
• Sleep deprivation puts people at a higher risk of developing or having worsening pain because their bodies are not getting the restoration and repair they need. The vicious cycle of this is that pain can interrupt or prevent sleep further, leading to even less opportunity for healing.
• Sleep deprivation is closely tied to mental health, and can impact conditions like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Of course, taking all of these negative impacts into consideration, sleep deprivation can lead to a lower quality of life, or much scarier: a greater risk of death. I don’t mean to be a downer. I just think it’s incredibly important to consider how skipping a few hours of sleep to be more productive can compound and affect your health. Let’s choose to sleep, friends!

But maybe getting adequate sleep is difficult for you for one reason or another. We’ll be helping you out with that next week when we cover how to get better sleep. See you then!

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Written by Kelly Pruim