March is “national bed month” and in celebration of it we will be exploring just how important a good night’s sleep is to our overall wellbeing. A lack of sleep not only effects our mental wellbeing but also our ability to function physically. This is because when we sleep our minds and bodies are able to rest and repair itself.
There are several stages which we go through when falling asleep, although the process can differ between each person generally it involves feeling drowsy, which is the stage we feel tired, relaxed, and start to drift off.
Next, we usually drift into light sleep, when our brain and body activity start to reduce, from here we progress into deep sleep and REM sleep. Deep sleep and REM sleep are the final two stages of our sleep and are very important stages as our mind and bodies able to rest and repair at this point. It’s during this time that our brains are able to form new pathways and strengthen existing ones, which helps us to process and store new information. Our bodies are able to produce hormones that help to repair and restore damaged cells, and help in developing our muscles. REM sleep is also the stage when our brain activity starts to increase and we usually dream. Going through this entire process each night is what helps us to wake up feeling energised and refreshed each day and ready to take on the world.
Here are 5 ways a good night’s sleep helps us
- Getting a good night’s sleep helps improve our concentration and improves our cognitive skills which is important for solving problems and making decisions.
- Ever wonder why we have the need to sleep when we are poorly or why we easily become ill when we don’t get proper rest regularly? It because we need sleep to help our bodies produce antibodies and other cells that help us fight off infection and illness.
- If you have been grumpy and irritable lately take a look at your sleep patterns, have you been getting enough uninterrupted sleep? Lack of sleep can lead to irritability, depression, and other mental health issues.
- During sleep our bodies are able to produce and regulate hormones. These are important for maintaining healthy metabolism, appetites and energy levels.
- If you tend to have a bad sleeping pattern and don’t get proper rest it can increase the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Having trouble falling asleep? Try 2-3 drops of one of these essential oils in your diffuser or have a warm bath with 10 drops of your chosen essential oil dispersed in the water to help you unwind and relax.
