I’m not sure if it’s the heat or what, but lately I’ve been dragging. The last few days, all I want to do is stay in bed! When the alarms go off, I hit snooze and head back to dreamland. Yes, I have two alarm clocks — one next to the bed, as a pre-waker-upper and one across the room so I actually do have to get out of bed. It usually works to get me up and moving.
As if we need proof that more sleep is better for us than less sleep, here are a few great things that sleep does for us:
- Sleep makes you healthy. Chronic lack of sleep increases your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Lack of sleep can also compromise your immune system, putting you at risk for every bug that comes along.
- Sleep makes you smarter. While you sleep, your brain has a chance to process all the information you accumulated during the day. Sleep is necessary for keeping your memory healthy — a recent Harvard University study found that people who got a good night’s sleep performed more than 40 percent better on a memory test than people who didn’t get enough sleep.
- Sleep makes you more coordinated. A good night’s sleep after learning a new motor task helps solidify what you’ve learned. Harvard University studies showed that your brain replays sequences while you sleep — so whether you learned a new song on the guitar or a new dance step, your brain is working on it while you snore.
- Sleep makes you slimmer. If you aren’t sleeping enough, the hormones that regulate fat burning may not work as efficiently as they do when you are rested. So if you’re having trouble losing weight or maintaining weight loss, check your sleeping habits!