Dose off to de-stress

Ensure you get seven to nine hours of sleep daily to keep your heart healthy, your immune system strong and concentration enhanced

Wondering what difference could an extra hour of sleep make in your lifeIJ The answer is — a lot. Sleep definitely makes you feel better but its importance goes way beyond just boosting your mood or banishing under-eye circles. Sleep is a dormant period where the cells are doing a lot of repairing. Proper sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle and can benefit your heart, weight, mind and more. Here are 10 health benefits of a good night’s sleep:

• Better health: A proper sleep routine helps reduce the risk of some serious health problems such as heart diseases, heart attacks, diabetes and obesity. In most cases, the health risks from sleep loss only become serious after years. Your heart will be healthier if you get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.
• Reduces stress: When your body is sleep deficient, it goes into a state of stress hence a proper sleep reduces stress and improves your mood. When you get less sleep you are more likely to be irritable and cranky. Waking up fresh boosts your mood and leaves you less stressed.
• Better memory: While we sleep, our brain processes and consolidates our memories from the day. If you don’t get enough sleep, those memories can be lost.
• Better concentration: A bad night’s sleep can leave you struggling all day. More than half of us will have problems concentrating after sleeping badly. A good night’s sleep makes you feel energised and alert the next day
• Stronger immunity: The less sleep you get, the weaker your immune system is. When you’re sleep deprived, you often feel restless and that’s a clue that your body is vulnerable to infections.
• live longer: Regularly sleeping less than you should is associated with a shorter lifespan, although it is not clear whether little sleep is the cause or an effect of other illnesses. People who sleep less have a higher risk of dying sooner than people who get a proper full night sleep.
• Fights depression: Sleep has a major impact on depression. Sleep impacts many  chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression. You can help to prevent depression by making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep.
• Weight management: Watching your weight can be as simple as getting a good night’s sleep. lack of sleep can make you put on weight by drastically slowing your metabolism. Hence getting an adequate sleep can prevent weight gain.
• Body repair: Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage.
• Beautiful skin: Regular shut-eye actually makes you look healthier and more attractive. Proper sleep gives your body the required amount of rest and clears your skin internally.

Courtesy K Madhavan, managing director, Peps Industries Pvt ltd