Sources: Arianna Huffington - The Sleep Revolution / sleepfoundation.org
W
e’ve all complained about feeling
tired but when this becomes your
body’s default state, it’s time to
re-think your routine and make some serious changes. Inspired by Arianna Huffington’s latest book, here’s how getting more
sleep can transform your life.
muscles and tissue within the body heal and
repair themselves to not only prevent injury
the next time you hit the treadmill, but to ensure
you keep seeing results. Managed to deadlift
your personal best? Sleep well and your body
will register this improvement and ensure you
keep progressing instead of plateauing.
1. You will become more productive
Sleep is not a waste of your time. In fact, it is
the vital period when your brain performs a
thorough maintenance check: it cleanses away
all the clutter, clarifies your memories and sharpens your cognitive abilities, all while you are
resting. Get more sleep and you will find that
you can manage your time better and tackle any
task more efficiently.
5. You will become more successful
Arianna Huffington is no stranger to success
and she believes that the old-fashioned notion
of prioritising work over sleep isn’t only detrimental to your health but also your real-world
chances of succeeding. Aside from improving
your memory and ability to learn new skills,
catching some zzzs will make you more creative
in your field of work which, in turn, makes you
a better team member and more likely to showcase the kind of skills your boss appreciates.
Hello, promotion!
2. Your heart health will improve
Numerous studies have shown that those who
tend to sleep for less than six hours a night,
have a greater risk of suffering from heart
attacks and developing heart disease than those
who get a proper nights’ sleep. The science
behind it surmises that a lack of sleep exacerbates any underlying health issues while
raising blood pressure and increasing internal
inflammation, both of which are bad news for
your ticker.
3. Any skin problems will start to clear up
The term ‘beauty sleep’ isn’t just something the
industry coined to sell night creams; it is a very
real and necessary need for healthy skin. The
skin renews itself while you sleep, naturally
removing dead and damaged cells so that new
ones can take their place. Struggling to get a
good eight hours’ sleep means the skin cannot
complete this rejuvenation process which is
why your skin always looks dull, puffy and
congested after a late night.
4. You will become fitter
If you often wonder why you aren’t seeing the
type of results you expected from a hard-hitting
cardio session, it could be down to your inability to rest. When you sleep properly, the
6. You will be less susceptible to depression
The mind is a delicate thing and nothing
affects it more than sleep, or lack thereof.
Studies have shown that poor sleep patterns
increase psychological stress which makes you
more susceptible to depression, anxiety and
heightened feelings of hostility. So press pause
more often and take the time to relax before
bed to prevent the possibility of mental health
problems developing.
7. You won’t have to worry about putting
on unexpected pounds
Not getting enough sleep increases the production of the hormone ghrelin, also known as
the ‘hunger hormone’, which basically makes
you crave food during the day. Not only that
but trouble sleeping lowers the production of
leptin, a hormone that lowers your appetite. So
if you ever wondered why you always crave
sugary snacks the day after you couldn’t sleep,
this is why!
Make the most of your beauty sleep and
turn to page 26 where you can win one of
five Medik8 Hydr8 Night moisturisers.
ISSUE #01 | SUMMER 2016 | SkinHealthMagazine.com 9