Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep: Good Sleep for Well-Being

We’ve been exploring the topic of sleep over the past several weeks by way of our “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” blog series. From the history of the classic child’s prayer to determining the best pillows for good sleep to exploring hot vs. cold sleepers to providing top tips for a proper night of rest, we’ve taken time to delve into a variety of research points. One thing we have not yet discussed, though, is how a good night of rest affects and influences your overall well-being and quality of health.

Whether you’ve come to grips with it or not, a good night of rest is a vital aspect of living your healthiest life. Sure, you may be able to survive and thrive on four hours of shuteye by way of a few shots of espresso, but skimping on your sleep is a surefire way to lead to a decline in your well-being. Let’s talk about a few ways lack of sleep can influence your health:

1) Poor Sleep Leads to Weight Gain
It’s true. Even if you skip meals and live on copious amounts of caffeine, sleeping less is often linked to weight gain. According to Obesity Research Journal, “The … obesity epidemic has been accompanied by… chronic sleep deprivation. Physiologic studies suggest sleep deprivation may influence weight through effects on appetite, physical activity, and/or thermoregulation.”  . Short durations of rest has proven that 55% of adults who sleep poorly also struggle with unwanted weight gain.

2) Poor Sleep Leads to Slower Brains
Sleeping provides our brains with the space, time, and energy they need to recover and rest, thus improving our overall brain performance and function, including productivity, cognition, and concentration. Consider your own life for a moment. Do you feel sharper and more aware of things after a solid night of rest on a weekend, or in the middle of a work week when you’ve hit the snooze button six times? Most of us will agree that our minds and bodies seem to work better after a night of uninterrupted sleep. In fact, a study carried out by the National Center for Biotechnology Information revealed that a lack of sleep affected areas of the brain in the same way too much alcohol consumption can. Yikes! Imagine needing to be on your absolute A-game when presenting an important pitch to clients, but having to do so after multiple alcoholic drinks… not something any of us would want to do, that’s for sure! Ensuring we get adequate hours of sleep increases our brain’s productivity and our overall well-being!

3) Poor Sleep Can Lead to Heart Issues
Heart health is a hot topic in the world of medicine and pop-culture alike, but did you realize that sleep truly plays an important role in your ticker’s health? According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleeping well is essential for a healthy heart, “People who don't sleep enough are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease—regardless of age, weight, smoking and exercise habits. Getting enough good quality sleep is important if you want to lower you risk of these conditions.”

4) Poor Sleep Can Compromise Your Immune System
Want to fight off the impending flu season with power? Deep, good sleep is going to be one of your best friends in doing so. The Mayo Clinic says that people who don’t get quality or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after coming into contact with a virus. Curious about the scientific reasoning behind it? The Mayo Clinic goes in depth explaining the “why”, saying, “During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines… Certain cytokines need to increase when you have an infection or inflammation, or when you're under stress. Sleep deprivation may decrease production of these protective cytokines.” So rather than waiting until you wake up with a cough or cold, giving your body the chance to sleep and properly recover will equip your immune system the strength it needs to fight well.

5) Poor Sleep Means Poor Work Outs
Working out and physical exercise is an obvious health and well-being booster, but not sleeping well or enough can dramatically influence your workout sessions. Feeling extra weak during a recent yoga session or entirely over exerted during a treadmill jog? Examine your sleep. There’s often a correlation on your physical performance your sleep time. In fact, a study carried out by the U.S. National Library of Medicine proved that longer periods of sleep lead to speed, accuracy, and well-being for athletes. All the more reason to get a bit more shuteye!


While these points are just five of the bigger body issues influenced by sleeping, it is clear that good, proper rest is key to your overall well-being and success!