Want To Live Longer? Get More Sleep.

by Brent Williams

Getting enough sleep, and the right type of sleep, is vital for our overall health and wellbeing. While you sleep, your body works to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. And for children and young people, sleep is how their bodies and minds grow and develop.

When you do not get enough sleep, you feel tired, you find it hard to concentrate and remember things and you may be grumpy. Lack of sleep can also impair your judgement and impact your physical coordination. So not getting enough sleep affects the way you feel, think, work, learn and get along with other people.

We Humans Need Sleep, It's As Simple As That

Sleep forms part of a natural rhythm of life - any single cell taken from our body, and placed in isolation in a laboratory dish, will maintain a stable 24-hour pattern, demonstrating that sleep is a force to be harnessed rather than challenged. Indeed, opposing or disrupting sleep and this rhythm of life can be very harmful.

Sleep seems to be essential for all manner of creatures. Biological drives like hunger and thirst certainly are compelling, yet we are able to make behavioural choices and to choose what, when and even whether to eat and drink. Sleep, however, is rather more involuntary, like breathing. Deliberately holding your breath will result in your body over-riding your action, forcing you to breathe out and resuming respiration. Sleep is likewise inevitable. Some studies have kept subjects awake for 40 hours and over. However, we cannot deliberately remain totally awake unassisted for long, extended periods of time. 

Consistent, Quality Sleep Is Vital

There are many benefits to getting a good night's rest on a consistent basis, and here are just a few reasons we need to prioritize a good slumber.

  • Improves learning and memory. Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory.
  • Positive impacts on metabolism and weight. Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite. Getting enough sleep can aid in weight management by also helping you to have more energy for regular physical activity.
  • Increases safety and performance. A lack of sleep contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime and can increase your risk for injuries while driving to and from work or school, or while engaging in sports or other activities that require you to pay careful attention to detail. Being well rested not only reduces your risk for injury, but can help to increase the quality of your performance at school, work, sports, and for many other activities.
  • Better mood. Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. When you are more rested, you can enjoy doing more of the things you like to do such as spending time with friends, hobbies, and other activities.
  • Strengthens immune system - Getting good, quality sleep on a regular basis helps your body to repair from all the stressors it is exposed to, which also strengthens your immune system. This can help your body to fight off colds, flu and other infections, while also reducing your risk for various diseases.
  • Reduces stress. A good night's sleep can help you relax by lowering your blood pressure and levels of stress hormones. It can also help you to cope better with future stressful life events.

Not surprisingly, over time, a lack of adequate sleep can be associated with a shortened lifespan. Multiple studies have shown that sleeping less than five hours per night may increase mortality risk by up to 15 percent.3

Not Getting Enough Sleep Has Real Consequences

As our lives are crowded with familial, professional and other activities, many of us overlook the potential consequences, squeezing more and more into our days and nights, leaving quality rest as an afterthought. Even reducing that optimal eight hours by two or three per night can dramatically increase the odds of developing some of the following physical and mental health conditions:

  • Alzheimer’s
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Compromised immune function
  • Depression
  • Diabetes
  • Hypertension
  • Obesity
  • Susceptibility to injury

In order to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle, you need to ensure sleep is a priority. Lack of sleep can cause you to get sick mentally and physically, so be aware of the symptoms of lack of sleep, and actively work each night to ensure you keep your sleep schedule.

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