Top 5 Reasons You Must Value Sleep More

Rebecca Lewis September 29, 2014

Sleep is an activity that is crucial for our health and well-being. Research after research shows that sleep plays a major role in many aspects of our health, and that getting the right amount of it can significantly reduce our risk of developing a variety of health problems, ranging from less serious ones like fatigue and lack of energy to more serious conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.

More and more studies have uncovered several reasons why we should value sleep, just as we need to value diet and regular exercise.

If you’re among the many individuals who don’t give much importance to quality sleep, knowing the following important processes that take place in your body while you sleep can make you rethink over the value of quality sleep:

Memory Formation and Consolidation

Sleep plays a very important role in memory formation and consolidation. When you’re asleep, your brain is busy forming new memories, consolidating older ones, and linking more recent with earlier memories, during both REM and non-REM sleep. And for this reason, sleep is critical for learning. During sleep, we process every bit of information we just received, and cement them in our brains so we would be better at recalling them.

Brain Detoxification

Researchers at the University of Rochester found that during sleep, the brains of mice clear out damaging molecules associated with neurodegeneration. The found that the space between brain cells actually increased while the mice were unconscious, allowing the brain to flush out the toxic molecules that built up during waking hours.

Production of Human Growth Hormone

Human growth hormone (hgH) helps muscles, bone and other tissues regenerate. The helpful hormone is released during sleep, especially its deepest stages, and is thought to be prompted by low blood glucose levels present during sleep, among other factors. So, there is some science behind the concept of beauty sleep.

Creativity Enhancement

In 2007, researchers from the University of California at Berkeley found that sleep can foster "remote associates," or unusual connections, in the brain -- which could lead to a major "a-ha" moment upon waking. Upon waking from sleep, people are 33% more likely to make connections between seemingly distantly related ideas.

Physical & Mental Recovery

Sleep has been linked to psychological, emotional, and mental recovery. Recent research shows that sleep is vital in consolidating memories, both intellectual and physical. Sleep deprivation can reduce one’s productivity and ability to remember and consolidate information. It can also lead to serious health consequences such as increased risk of heart disease and obesity.