Night-time Sleep: One of the Keys to Positive Days

By Deb A. Garbeil

We often hear about how we need sleep and how important it is to our health. But if you’re like me, when the conversation gets a little too filled with percentages or statistics, I tend to zone out, which doesn’t count toward the recommended rest one should get in a day. However, I know how I feel with a good night’s sleep vs a bad night’s sleep and below are just a few reasons I have found relatable for positively impacting your mind and body through sleep.

The state of our physical health directly relates to the state of our immune system. Simply put, a strong immune system will help us have more healthy days filled with smiles and sandboxes vs sick days riddled with sneezes and tissue boxes. Our immune system is better equipped to help us fight off colds and other ailments, if we strengthen it through consistent nights of 7-9 hours of sleep.

Sleep also plays a part in controlling the weight of our bodies. If we are awake for longer periods of time our bodies will require more food for fuel. But if our bodies are on less than the recommended amount of sleep we need, we may likely be overtired and make poor food choices as a result. These choices are usually what’s quick or “convenient,” like the high-fat cookies or candy located near store cash registers. Without the recommended amount of sleep, we have more time to consume high-calorie foods, without the energy to work it off that ample sleep and healthy foods can provide. In this description, our bodies can become prime candidates for gaining weight and other health problems, like diabetes.

A good night’s sleep is also a key to a good state of mind. Sleep enables us to think clearly and can even improve memory function. Clear thinking can lead to better life choices that can help you attain your goals and dreams. How we think and feel during those very first moments of waking from sleep can set the stage for rest of the day. So, it’s simple, get enough sleep to start your day in a positive way; do it consistently and have those days turn into months and years!