Sleep is a necessary physiological function that keeps people alive. It should not be looked at as a luxury. Good regular sleep is essential to optimum long term health.
Older adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. However, good sleep is harder to get as people age of health condition, medications and other factors.
While everybody knows that sleep makes people feel refreshed, there are many health and other benefits to a good night’s sleep.
One of the benefit there is a process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep.
Other benefits of good sleep including:
*Blood pressure drops, breathing slows and muscles relax which gives the nervous system and opportunity to rest.
* Sleep also impacts many of the chemical in human body including serotonin, melatonin and hormones that affect appetite.
Immune system is also regulated by sleep.
Sleep regulates several hormones that play important roles in keeping immune factors balanced, including corticotrophin-releasing hormone, growth hormone, cortical, and prolactin.
*Blood supply to the muscles increases
*Human body carefully regulates blood glucose levels while sleeping, therefore there will be no experience a drop in blood sugar levels even though after fasting 7 or 8 hours.
*Tissue growth, development and repair occurs, including muscle growth and repair and energy is restored.
Good sleep for good health
