When we sleep our body repairs!
Exercising: during resistance training, the muscles actually tear. While sleep, the muscle rebuilds stronger to adapt to the new load demanded of it.
Sickness: during sleep, extra protein molecules are produced that help the immune system to strengthen and mend after being compromised by pollutants and infectious bacteria.
Growth: we can’t forget that kids do a lot of growing during those important hours of sleep.
New studys are suggesting that getting the right
amount of sleep may…
- improve memory– the brain appears to restructure and reorganize memories- they become stronger
- improve inflammation– research suggests that people who get fewer hours of sleep—six or less per night—have higher blood levels of inflammatory proteins
- improve performance- A study conducted by Stanford University looked at college football players. Those who got 10 hrs of sleep for 7-8 weeks had improved sprint time. They also had less fatigue and stamina in the day.
- improve grades- sleep deprivation impairs learning
- improve attention– adults get sleepy with lack of zzzz’s, but kids get hyperactive, are inattentive and impulsive (ADHD-like symptoms)
- encourage a healthy weight– when sleepy, hormones that increase appetite increase in the blood; studies also show that people who were well rested lost more body fat and those who were sleep deprived lost muscle mass
- and decrease car accidents–in 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that being tired accounted for the highest number of fatal single-car crashes where the driver ran off the road. A higher number than crashes caused by alcohol! Lack of sleep affects decision making and reaction time.
So how much sleep do we need to get these wonderful benefits?
according to Better-Sleep-Better-Life.com
Newborns (0-2 months old) | 12-18 hours |
Infants (3-11 months old) | 14-15 Hours |
Toddlers (1-3 years old)l | 12-14 Hours |
Pre-schoolers (3-5 years old) | 11-13 Hours |
School-aged Children (5-10 years old) | 10-11 Hours |
Teens (11-17 years old) | 8-9 Hours |
Adults | 7-9 Hours |
So yes maybe I just want to show off my cute kids and my dog, but I also want us to look at our sleep time as HEALTHCARE!
It’s necessary for us to be our best… to be on top of our game!
Apple seems to have sleep figured out.
Let’s take our cues from her and get some!
Sweet Dreams
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