Sleep well for better brain health

Would you like to remember more, have more energy, and perform better?

Research shows that sleep deprivation (consistently sleeping less than 6 hours each night) negatively affects our ability to recall information and perform at our optimal level.

Today, I’m going to teach you what happens to your brain and body when you miss out on sleep, how you can get better sleep, and the positive under-looked effects of getting enough quality sleep.

What happens when you don’t get enough quality sleep

Our brain and body recover while we sleep. If we diminish our body’s ability to do this by depriving sleep we can run into a whole host of problems.

Lack of sleep is associated with:

• Impaired memory & focus

• Fatigue/sluggishness

  • This can lead to a lack of exercise and overeating thus leading to added body fat.

• A weaken immune system

  • This can make us more susceptible to disease & illness such as a common cold, flu, or even lead to heart disease.

• Impaired growth & recovery

  • Most of our human growth hormone is secreted while we sleep. This hormone helps our bodies grow and develop and allows our muscles to recover.

If our memory and focus are impaired, we won’t be able to work and perform as optimally as we should and our work capacity will suffer.

What happens when we do get enough sleep

While we sleep, our bodies are rewiring and making new connections.

Connections between brain cells are strengthened and memories are rewired and transferred from short to long-term.

All of these things can lead to:

• Improved memory

• An increased ability to think, reason, and problem solve

• A sharper focus and concentration

Along with these cognitive benefits, getting enough sleep will drastically increase your energy levels. This can lead to better performance while exercising.

Research also shows that sleeping shortly after learning something new can help you recall the information better. So “sleep on it” to make this new connection stick.

Practical steps

There are numerous things we could do to improve the quality of our sleep.

We can:

• Set up our bedroom to be dark, comfortable, and cool (between 65-72 degrees Fahrenheit).

• Turn off electronics and dim the lights an hour before bed

• Supplement with magnesium

• Reduce use of alcohol before bed

All of these things are helpful. But the strategy I want to give you today has helped me more than anything. And I have struggled with major sleep difficulties for as long as I can remember.

The strategy is-

Get used to going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.

This was a difficult habit for me to form. But once I did, my sleep quality improved dramatically. And yours can too.

To ease into it, simply adjust your sleep and wake times in 15-minute intervals.

Start with your sleep time first.

If you want to go to bed at 11 but you are currently going to bed at midnight or later, start with a sleep time of 11:45. Thirty to sixty minutes before your designated sleep time, wind down for the night. This would be a great time to put away work and all other distractions and plan out the next day.

Get used to this new sleep time before moving the time back 15 minutes again to 11:30. Repeat until you arrive at your desired sleep time.

Nail your sleep time first, then use the same strategy for your wake time.

For more information on structuring better sleep habits like this, check out this blog: Structuring Better Sleep Habits for Busy Professionals.

Conclusion

Being able to recall information, perform well, and have good energy is associated with getting enough quality sleep.

When we don’t get enough sleep it negatively affects our memory, mood, focus, and our ability to perform at our best.

Practicing implementing a consistent sleep and wake time is a great way to improve the quality of your sleep, and in doing so, your overall quality of life.

Would you like to be a part of a community of busy professionals all working toward building their best body and mind?

A place where you can go to for support, encouragement, and guidance?

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