Every day should be World Sleep Day. But how can you get better sleep?
Improper sleep makes you cranky or annoyed. Yes, we all hate those days. A sound sleep is good for your health, mind, mood and the people around you. Let's admit this: an uninterrupted sleep schedule is all we need. Well, most of the time.
What might come as a surprise, a day every year is dedicated to highlight the importance of sleep. Yes, we have World Sleep day, which is celebrated annually on the Friday before the March Equinox (the unique phenomenon when the length of day and night are equal). This year, it falls on March 18.
EVERY DAY SHOULD BE SLEEP DAY
These days, almost everyone on the internet talks about the strong desire to just 'eat and sleep' all day long. And Covid lockdowns have made us more used to this lazy schedule. So, basically, we want to celebrate sleep day every day, without any regrets.
BUT
No matter how much we love our sleep, we often take it for granted. Many individuals overlook their sleep hours and then deal with all the side-effects that come along. An unhealthy sleep cycle is more harmful than you think.
A recent survey by ResMed with 17,040 respondents has revealed that 72% of Indian participants experienced poor emotional health due to insufficient sleep. Other than mood swings, there are many harmful effects of not sleeping properly.
Some of these are:
a) It makes you gain weight (we will come to this part later)
b) It can put you at a higher risk of health conditions like hypertension, heart disease and diabetes
c) Sleep deprivation can weaken your immune system and due to Covid, now we know the importance of a strong immune system
d) You might also experience forgetfulness or face trouble with thinking and concentration
The health benefits of sleep will leave you impressed.
1. Helps you maintain a healthy weight:
The sleep and weight connection is quite significant. Sleep affects your two major hunger hormones: a) ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hungry; and b) leptin, a hormone that makes you feel full.
Basically, sleep deprivation increases the levels of ghrelin and decreases the levels of leptin. As a result, you feel hungry all the time, especially at night, and you overeat. This, in turn, leaves you with some extra pounds.
2. Reduces risk of several diseases:
Sleep deprivation is linked with a higher risk of developing health issues like high blood pressure, heart diseases, diabetes, depression, inflammation and much more. So, by maintaining a healthy sleep cycle, you can reverse this risk.
3. And the best part: Your mental health becomes better in multiple ways.
Naps, the original life hack:1) Sad? There's a nap for that.2) Tired? There's a nap for that.3) Angry? There's a nap for that.
— The Cultured Ruffian (@CulturedRuffian) June 1, 2016
*Now you have more reasons to celebrate sleep day every day.*
Now the question is: How to ensure a sound sleep?
Well, many people face issues falling asleep. And if you are one of them, we have some tips that can help you sleep like a baby.
- Increase your exposure to sunlight during the day
- Reduce exposure to blue light a few hours before bed
- Make sure your bed is comfortable enough, with the right amount of light
- Fix your sleep hours to help your body sync with it
- Avoid caffeine consumption late in the day
- Have relaxing drinks before bed like honey and warm milk, chamomile tea or turmeric milk
Since tomorrow is Sleep Day (and a Holi-day if you're in India), it is the best time to celebrate the occasion doing what you should be doing more often (if and only if you don’t have any Holi plans).
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