Though most people know that sleep is important, they still don’t get enough of it. Most people don’t even have enough time to get a full eight hours of sleep at night which can be problematic, according to Dr. Bikash Chowdhury, a family physician based in Canada with a strong devotion to the health of his patients and community.
As both a physician and a family man, Dr. Bikash Chowdhury firmly believes that sleep is vital for our overall health. Below, Dr. Chowdhury highlights some reasons why it’s beneficial to focus on getting enough sleep.
Sleep improves brain function
When you are sleeping, your brain is busy working. It begins to prepare for the next day by forming new pathways, which help you with learning and the retention of information.
Because of this, a good night’s sleep is essential for learning and focusing throughout the next day. If you don’t get enough, you are going to struggle to focus the next day.
Sleep makes you a better athlete
Just like above, those who don’t get enough sleep are slower to move and react, which could really affect your game. Athletes need enough sleep so that they can perform at their best – with their speed, accuracy, and reaction times. They are also more mentally prepared for a game or even practice with a good night’s sleep.
Sleep improves your overall physical health
While you sleep, your body works on healing your heart and blood vessels. Because of this, long-term sleep deprivation can cause heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure, and even strokes.
Sleep improves your immune system
People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to catch the common cold and other illnesses that get passed around. This is because of the way that their immune system responds to illness changes, making it not as efficient.
Inadequate sleep negatively affects weight
If you don’t get enough sleep, you are more likely to be obese. A hormone imbalance causes this. When you sleep, your body works on maintaining these hormones so that you will feel full after eating.
Many people also eat throughout the day just to stay awake when they don’t get enough sleep. Often, they reach for unhealthy items that offer a quick pick-me-up but are not suitable for our waistlines.
Sleep helps you interact with others
When you haven’t been sleeping well, you may struggle to interact with others socially. Not only could you be more emotional, but you also may not recognize simple social cues (like someone is really happy or sad about something). You may push someone that doesn’t want to share their story, simply because you aren’t noticing that they are giving you cues to stop.
Sleep improves safety
When a person is sleep deprived for an extended period, they are not as safe. They have a slower reaction time, which makes driving more dangerous. They also tend to make more mistakes because they can’t focus as well. This can cause accidents on the road, as well as accidents at work and around the house. You are not as safe when you haven’t gotten enough sleep.
Sleep is linked to mental health
Many mental health issues seem to be connected to the quality of sleep. In fact, almost 90 percent of people who suffer from depression don’t sleep well.
If you want to live your best life, you need to focus on your sleep. It improves your overall physical health, your weight, your mental attitude, and even your brain function. If you want to perform at your best, go to bed early, so you can wake up refreshed and ready to go!
About Dr. Bikash Chowdhury: Dr. Bikash Chowdhury is a specialist in family medicine and a devoted husband and father of a son and a daughter. He knows that family comes first, so he treats his patients with respect, devotion, and compassion. Dr. Chowdhury is also devoted to helping other Bangladesh physicians transition to North America just like he did when he decided to move with his family to Canada.