Everybody needs to sleep and adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, although this number varies from person to person. This accounts for approximately one third of our lives. So why does a third of our population not get enough of it? I’m sure there are a number of factors, but with our lives getting busier and busier, our sleep tends to suffer.
We know that after we sleep we feel rested, but while we sleep our bodies are hard at work. While we sleep our:
- Muscles and tissues (organs and other cells) repair and rejuvenate
- Memory is consolidated
- Body releases chemicals that improve our immune system
- Body cleans out toxins in our brain
- Cortisol levels, which are tied to stress, go down
Good sleep has been shown to:
- Improve athletic performance
- Improve concentration and productivity
- Improve immune function
- Improve stress management
- Improve concentration and mood
- Eating fewer calories
Poor/lack of sleep is related to:
- Weight gain
- Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
- Increased risk of type 2 diabetes
- Depression
- Increased inflammation
- Decreased immune function
- Reduced ability to interact socially
How does sleep help/effect with recovery?
When you fall into the deeper stages of sleep, your muscles have increased blood flow which increases oxygen and nutrients. During these deeper stages of sleep, your body releases growth hormones which stimulate muscle repair and growth. Other hormones which regulate inflammation are also released during these stages.
When you don’t get enough sleep, the secretion of these hormones decrease, which makes it harder for the body to recover from injuries and decreases the body’s ability to regulate inflammation. There is also less blood flow which results in less oxygen and nutrients to help with recovery, repair and regeneration of muscle and other tissue cells.