Sleep Does More For You Than You Know: The Benefits of Sleep

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What are the benefits of sleep?  We spend approximately one-third of our life sleeping!  How does sleep help us?  

 The National Sleep Foundation reminds us of some of the benefits of sleep and why we need to ensure we get to bed at night at a reasonable hour with its recent article Sleep for the Mind and Body. To keep our bodies working at an optimum level to complete that scroll of daily tasks, we need to take care of it!

We need to nourish our bodies with healthy foods, maintain a regular exercise regimen, do our best to decrease our exposure to harmful chemicals, and prioritize sleep. 

Benefits of Sleep

  • Sleep Helps You Feel Refreshed 

Your brain is busy restoring itself while you sleep. While you’re awake, certain neurons in the brain are actively producing a chemical called adenosine, which is a by-product of cell activities. When this chemical builds up, it causes you to feel sleepy. While you’re busy catching up on zzz’s, though, your body clears itself of adenosine, which allows you to awaken feeling alert and refreshed, rather than tired. 

  • It Repairs Tissues and Helps Them Grow 

Sleep provides an opportunity for rejuvenation. Many of the critical restorative functions in the body—like tissue repair and muscle growth—occur mostly or only during sleep.  

  • Sleep Relaxes Muscles 

During REM sleep, muscles are relaxed, which can help relieve tension and reduce symptoms of certain types of chronic pain. Just like you couldn’t mentally focus for 24-hours straight at your day job, your body needs a break to chill out so it can conquer the next day with gusto.

 While there is still a lot left to be discovered about why people sleep, and what exactly the body is accomplishing while you do so, one thing remains clear: sleep is vitally important when it comes to refreshing and reviving the body and mind. You can experience the benefits of sleep each and every night!

So sleep tight!  And for healthy sleep information every day, find and follow The Clean Bedroom on  FacebookTwitterPinterestInstagram, and Tumblr!

First published on October 7, 2015.