The Benefits of Sleep and Slowing Down

Did you know that one in four people in the U.S. develop insomnia each year? This pervasive problem of sleeplessness is something of a national health crisis. Our on-the-go culture — from working around the clock to feeling the need to be constantly plugged in to technology and social media — has created a national environment where sleep just isn’t the priority. In the Nyack area, where we have many sleep-deprived commuters and parents, the challenge is especially steep.

A 2013 Gallup poll revealed that 40 percent of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep each night, which is the recommended amount of sleep we need. While this might seem like something to brush off, it actually has something of a negative trickle-down effect for the rest of your health. For instance, a 2017 study published in the journal Pediatrics revealed children who missed the recommended amount of sleep for their age group by one hour might have a higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes down the line. Low amounts of sleep also negatively impact your brain. A 2017 report in Nature Medicine delved into how sleep deprivation makes for poor communication between your brain cells, resulting in difficulty carrying out essential daily tasks, lapses in your memory and struggles with visual perception.

Benefits that come from getting more sleep

Crucial to avoiding some of these adverse effects on your health is simply reorienting how you approach sleep — it shouldn’t just be a chore, but viewed as a crucial part of your everyday approach to wellness. The desire to play into our culture of constant stimulation, working nonstop and not taking a breather fuels this sleepless society. Forbes Magazine spotlights a few of the wide-ranging benefits that come from getting more sleep:

• Protects memory: By making those neural connections stronger and excising those that aren’t helpful, a sleep-fueled brain protects your memories.
• Fights against Alzheimer’s disease: While we’re sleeping, the brain clears away harmful toxins, some of which are tied to Alzheimer’s disease. While you get those needed seven hours, think of your brain bringing out its cleaning crew to clear away unwanted garbage.
• Nurtures creativity: Getting the sleep your body and brain needs keeps you sharp enough to have more of those “thinking outside-the-box” moments that could lead you to a new creative project or find a unique solution for a problem at work.
• Alleviates depression: There is a connection between experiencing sleeplessness and suffering from depression. A lack of sleep can make depressive symptoms you’ve already been experiencing worse. Giving your brain and body the recharge you need can alleviate some of these feelings and might give you the energy needed to seek out some solutions for treating your depression.

Taking a simple nap helps

Of course, some people might choose alternate paths to getting in that restorative rest. The National Sleep Foundation outlines the benefits that can come from taking a simple nap. Just a 20-minute nap — or a “two-stage nap” — can enhance your motor skills and ability to pay attention and a longer 90-minute nap can actually give you REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is important for strengthening neural connections in your brain. Napping can also relieve tension throughout your body. The foundation says you should maintain a consistent daily nap schedule that runs between 1 and 3 p.m. when your energy levels take a slight downward slide after lunch.

It must be noted that these are just a few of the physical and emotional benefits that can come from a good night’s rest or a quick early afternoon nap. In general, getting those needed “zzzs” can improve your quality of life, strengthen your interpersonal connections and give you that extra boost to exercise, clean the house or even just take a walk outside. Sometimes, with our hectic schedules, we forget what needs to be number one on our priority lists — achieving our optimal health and well-being. Sleep is one clear, simple way to make that possible.

Dr. Kristina Wodicka is a holistic chiropractor in Nyack who incorporates customized healing and integrative wellness techniques into her practice at Little Waters Wellness. Follow her on Facebook.

Related reading: How Emotions Contribute to Stress; How Emotions Impact Your Body