As many of us know, quality sleep is vital to overall health, wellbeing and vitality.⁵ Studies from around the world show that sleep is essential to human function and performance⁶. We’re better and healthier after a good night’s sleep.

Here are just some of things that come with getting a good night's sleep and why you should make it as important as a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Maintain Healthy Weight

Lack of sleep can affect your weight in ways you may not have considered. Not only does it slow your metabolism, it also forces your body to crave easy energy, which we often consume in calorie dense drinks and sugary snacks.

The impact of high calorie diets can also leave you feeling bloated and lethargic, making it harder to do the required amount of daily exercise. And by evening it’s common for poor sleepers to have consumed excessive caffeine, making falling and staying asleep harder and creating a vicious daily cycle¹.

Mood Enhancer

We've all experienced waking up cranky after a poor night's sleep, but chronic fatigue caused by multiple sleepless nights often results in feelings of anger, stress sadness and mental exhaustion. However, according to a study done by the University of Pennsylvania, subjects reported dramatic improvements in mood when normal sleep resumed².

Decent rest helps the brain regulate thoughts and emotions, making us better equipped to handle the stresses of daily life.

Better Overall Health

What if we told you there was one pill you could take that would improve your memory, reduce bodily inflammation, boost your alertness, improve your looks and help prevent a host of diseases and ailments? You’d want the prescription, right? The good news is, you don’t need a pill at all — you just need a good night’s sleep⁵.

Most Sleep Disorders can be Treated

Sleep problems constitute a global issue that threatens up to 45% of Australia's population⁷. Many of sleep disorders, like sleep apnea are treatable, yet less than 50% of Australias seek advice from their GP for treatment⁷.

In the end, there's no doubt that taking steps to get a good night's sleep is one of the best things you can give yourself. So if you're one of the many people who find good sleep elusive, take advantage of World Sleep Day and take action so you can get the good night's sleep your body craves.

If you’re looking for practical ways to improve your sleep download our free eBook 8 Ways To Sleep Better and discover the tips and tricks you can use to get a better night’s rest.

References

1. Sleep more, weigh less. http://www.webmd.com/diet/sleep-and-weight-loss#1
2. Cumulative sleepiness, mood disturbance, and psychomotor vigilance performance decrements during a week of sleep restricted to 4-5 hours per night. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9231952
3. Sleep the Single Most Important Determinant in Predicting Longevity. Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jackie-stroka/sleep-the-single-most-imp_b_7643178.html
4. 11 Surprising Health Benefits of Sleep. Health.com. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20459221,00.html
5. World Sleep Day - talking points - https://worldsleepday.org/usetoolkit/talking-points
6. Ohayon MM et al. Correlates of global sleep satisfaction in the psychiatric diagnosis categories. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2002; 56: 239-240
7. Report to the Sleep Health Foundation 2016 Sleep Health Survey of Australian Adults. Sleep Health Foundation  http://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/pdfs/surveys/SleepHealthFoundation-Survey.pdf