The Various Benefits of Sleeping Well: A Comprehensive Guide

Improve health and well-being.

Sleeping well makes us feel better, more alert, energetic, and better able to concentrate and perform our daily tasks. Getting enough sleep each day is one of the most important things you can do for your health and wellbeing and to reduce your risk for ill-health.

High-quality sleep can have a hugely positive impact on our health, including a decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can even boost your mood and cleanse your skin. One of the most impactful benefits, however, is the effect it can have on stress levels.

For some people, the pandemic may have brought positive changes, such as the widespread adoption of technology that makes socializing easier, the lack of a commute, flexible work hours that can be better adapted to morning or evening preferences, and a greater incentive to go outside and exercise. Learning to leverage these changes as the pandemic evolves may lead to healthier lifestyle patterns and better sleep in the future.

It is well known that sleep is an important biological function essential for life. While we sleep many important functions take place that help the body in physical recovery and repair, support brain development, cardiac function and body metabolism, as well as support learning, improving memory and mood. Sleep is especially important for children playing an important role in growth and overall health and babies and children need much more sleep than adults.

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Sleep promotes physical recovery in the body. As you sleep, your body tissues repair and strengthen. Your heart rests, and your blood pressure changes throughout the night to promote cardiovascular health. During sleep, your body also creates hormones that help your immune system fight infections, so good sleep can prevent you from getting sick and help you recover quickly.

Start the day with a healthy breakfast. Among lots of other health benefits, eating a balanced breakfast can help sync up your biological clock by letting your body know that it’s time to wake up and get going. Skipping breakfast on the other hand, can delay your blood sugar rhythms, lower your energy, and increase your stress, factors that may disrupt sleep.

Physical activity can pump up your feel-good endorphins and other natural neural chemicals that enhance your sense of well-being. Exercise can also refocus your mind on your body's movements, which can improve your mood and help the day's irritations fade away. Consider walking, jogging, gardening, housecleaning, biking, swimming, weightlifting or anything else that gets you active.

Use Relaxation Techniques: Relaxation techniques are designed to reduce stress and induce a state of relaxation. Examples include progressive muscle relaxation, meditation and guided imagery, and deep breathing, all of which can be done when you are already in bed.

There are many strategies that can help you manage stress so that it doesn’t interfere with sleep. Taking time to relax and wind down before bed is important to sleeping well and eliminating the stress of the day. A period of quiet time before bed allows you to step away from daily worries and set them aside before sleep. Try taking a warm shower or bath, getting a massage or doing some light stretching before bed. Certain scents or teas can even help you relax. Check out these essential oils, balms, pillows, and teas tested and scored by sleep experts. These peaceful activities can release physical tension and encourage the onset of sleep. If you find yourself struggling with stress and worry during the night, the following bedtime rituals can help.

Journal. Writing down your thoughts and worries can help you to get them out in the open so you can address them. Keep a journal by your bed so you can write down any anxiety that may come up in the moments before bed. Writing down a to-do list for the following day can also help you get to bed sooner.

Simply close your eyes for a minute and walk yourself through a peaceful scene. Think about all the sensory experiences you'd engage in and allow yourself to feel as though you're really there. After a few minutes, open your eyes and return to the present moment.

When you're focused on the here-and-now, you won't be able to ruminate about something that already happened and you can't worry about something in the future. Meditation and mindfulness take practice, but it can make a big difference in your overall stress level as it brings you back to the present.

increase productivity.

As a result of being happier, feeling fitter, and being able to concentrate to the best of your ability, productivity will be improved. Whether this be the ability to churn that long awaited report out, or simply processing more information, getting enough sleep will allow you to focus on the task in hand.

Updating these connections in the brain during sleep helps individuals learn new information and form memories. Quality sleep leads to improved concentration and better problem-solving and decision-making skills. In other words, a good night’s sleep can increase productivity.

Positive changes to your sleep habits won’t happen overnight. With patience and practice, you’ll find which sleep routines work best for your body and health. When you achieve better quality and quantity sleep, you can feel your best and improve your productivity at work.

Providing employees with napping pods or offering extended breaks can improve productivity by counteracting impulsive behavior and boosting tolerance for frustration, according to a study from the University of Michigan. Napping can also increase workplace safety.

Unlike drinking too much coffee or taking a stimulant-laden supplement to up your productivity game, try Natrol Cognium Focus, a stimulant-free brain health supplement that enhances mental agility and reaction times by improving cognitive function. It's powered by silk protein hydrolysate, which is found in the threads of silkworm cocoons. Pairing Natrol Cognium with daytime activities that challenge your brain can help you get better sleep at night.

As we navigate the new normal and aim to maintain productivity, sleep is crucial and gives the brain the necessary tools to perform at its highest level the next day. By prioritizing sleep, people can not only improve performance, but also overall wellbeing.