4 Benefits of Sleep +4 Ways to Sleep Better

How did you sleep last night? How do you feel today? Do you value your sleep or do you brag about being able to get along with very little sleep?

As a woman in her thirties I know I’m not alone when I say that sleep is sometimes seems elusive. Sleep is a huge part of everyday life. We all have to do it and we all find it difficult sometimes. Still, the benefits of sleep are too important to miss out on.

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That’s why I read the book, Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker PhD. I wanted to understand more sleep, dreams, and why it can be so difficult to get a good night’s sleep. In his book, Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker really dives deep into the science of sleep, so deep I could never hope to explain it all so you will have to read it yourself. That being said, I will share some of what I learned and other tips I have found helpful too! Of course I’m not a doctor so you should do your own research too!

What Are the Benefits of Sleep? 

If you work a lot, are in your college years, or have small children you may brag that you don’t need that much sleep. Or you may think that four to six hours is plenty. People who are bad at sleeping naturally want to be good at not sleeping. 

But is there any such thing as a person who doesn’t need sleep? No! We all need sleep. And most of us need more than seven hours to reap all the benefits of sleep. If we get less sleep than that we can accrue a sleep debt and the more in debt we get the more problems we will face. What kinds of problems? Well, let’s talk about the benefits of sleep and you will naturally see the consequences at the same time. 

1: Sleep is Like Fuel for the Brain

The first important benefit of sleep is somewhat obvious. It helps us think more clearly. You have probably experienced the day after a bad night’s sleep. It’s not fun. You put salt in your coffee, forget your phone at home, and take the wrong turn to work. You might struggle to finish tasks, snap at your kids, or completely melt down over something insignificant. 

It’s not a surprise, therefore, that studies have shown that getting less sleep than you need leads to a state worse than drunkenness. Reactions slow and judgement is hampered to the point that drowsy driving causes far more accidents each day than drunk driving.

On the other hand, when you are well rested you can make good decisions in good time. You can maintain your emotional balance and your problem solving skills improve. In fact, you might even wake up with solutions your brain has worked on in your sleep! Studies also show that people only retain new skills and knowledge when they sleep well after study or practice. 

2: Sleep Helps You Fight the Bug Guys

What else can sleep do for you? Well, have you noticed yourself getting sick often? That may have to do with a lack of sleep. According to a multitude of studies getting enough sleep may be the most important healthy habit for bolstering our immune systems and it makes sense if you think about it. Sleep is when your body repairs itself. 

Interestingly, sleep doesn’t just help you fight the common cold. It also helps you avoid oxidative stress that leads to many forms of cancers and heart disease. That’s why cardiologists often urge people to address sleep apnea. It’s easy to see you should take your sleep very seriously. 

3: Sleep Helps You Stay Thin

Did you know that your bad sleeping habits could be making you fat? That’s right. Just to stack up the benefits of sleep even further, your body needs it to regulate hormones. When you don’t sleep enough your metabolism slows and your cortisol spikes leading your body to believe that it must hold onto any energy you can give it. 

When you don’t sleep enough that donut goes straight to your hips! And furthermore, your desire for the donut and your will power to resist it are also caused by your lack of sleep. 

On the other hand, when you get enough energy from a good sleep schedule your body doesn’t crave sugary foods as much and it feels safe enough to let go of weight when you eat properly. 

4: Sleep Keeps You Young 

Last but not least, one of the most valuable benefits of sleep is that it keeps you young. Yes. That’s right! Remember how we said the body repairs at night? Well, studies show that people with better sleep schedules are younger at a cellular level. 

In other words, you can go to the gym all day long but the work out your cells get in their sleep is the most important maintenance you can do for a youthful and healthy body. 

How Can You Get Better Sleep?

I think we can all agree that the benefits of sleep should make it our top priority. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have trouble sleeping. So what can we do to improve our sleep?

1: Get Better Sleep When By Watching What You Eat and Drink

The first thing we can do to improve our sleep is watching what and when we eat and drink. Obviously we don’t want to have caffeine very late in the day but alcohol and sugar can also act as stimulants. Do you often wake up around three in the morning? That’s most likely caused by alcohol or sugar or both. 

Also, if you want to sleep better your digestion needs to be ramping down for the night. If you have trouble sleeping make sure you stop eating 2-3 hours before bed. 

2: Sleep Better When You Put Down Your Phone

Another easy step you can take for better sleep is to get away from screens at least two hours before bed. The blue light from TVs and phones affects our circadian rhythm by tricking our brain into thinking it’s not as late as it is. 

If you find this difficult here are a few ways to go about it. Try plugging your phone in somewhere that isn’t close to your bed. Read a physical book or an e-reader. Enjoy other activities as part of your bed time ritual, things like stretches and baths. And finally, if you must have a screen turn on the blue light blocker settings and get away from the scroll which in itself is addictive and stimulating. 

3: Natural Sleep is Better Sleep

Can’t you just pop a sleeping pill? I know that a lot of us have fallen prey to that habit. If it works and if sleep is that important than why not? 

The problem is, in his book Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker explains that studies prove that these types of sleeping medications actually interfere with the functions of sleep that bring all the benefits. Sure, you might be sedated but you won’t feel rested when you wake because your body wasn’t able to repair. 

Instead of taking sleeping medications focus on naturally relaxing your body with a good sleep hygiene, self care, a nice pre-sleep routine, and relaxing aids like tea and essential oils. 

4: If You Can’t Sleep Do This

What do you do if you fall asleep but later wake up tossing and turning? Well, I’m not a doctor but I’ve found that the best thing to do is to get up and read. If you lay there you will just get more and more restless and you will start worrying about one thing after another. 

On the other hand, if you get up and start reading you will most likely get sleepy in a few minutes. Why is that? Well, studies show thatreading can relax your body more than therapy or music in less than 7 minutes. Give it a try! And don’t forget, if you are reading on your phone turn on the blue light blocker setting! 

Enjoy the Benefits of Sleeping With a Good Bedtime Routine!

Now that you know all the benefits of sleeping I’m sure that you will agree that it’s worth all the little changes to sleep better! 

To understand everything I wrote in a deeper scientific way I would highly recommend reading Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker PhD. 

I hope that you are able to get good sleep and add sweet dreams to your happy simple life!