Discover The Science-Backed Benefits Of Quality Sleep
“Nearly every disease killing us in later life has a causal link to lack of sleep,” says Matthew Walker, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California.
Yikes, that’s heavy stuff.
Luckily we’ve collected and condensed the must-know-non-snooze-inducing facts on why you need more sleep. Which means less time researching, more time sleeping.
And yes it may be 11.34pm, but we think it’s worth a read if you want to change your life sharpish.
Ready to find out why sleep should be your new best bud?
Your brain will love you for it
The more time spent on the pillow, the more time your brain has to heal and restore itself (plus conjure up wicked ideas to blow your manager’s socks off).
It seems most scientists are in agreement that hitting the pillow before 10pm and getting up before 7am creates optimal brain activity and restoration.
Here’s what uber-cool bio-hacker Dave Asprey has to say about it:
“A night of deep sleep gives your brain a chance to clear out cellular waste and repair old or damaged brain cells. You wake up with 50 percent faster mental processing, stable mood, and an increased ability to learn.”
You’re probably thinking “Is the world ready for an après deep-sleep me?” There’s only one way to find out.
(Psst… Our app Peak Sleep – Sleep Better offers the ultimate guide to a blissful night’s sleep. Check it out here.)
Your fat will fly
Your fat will have more time and more energy to break down when you’re sleeping.
Dr Erin Hanlon, of Chicago University, believes by getting less sleep you in fact increase your hunger and appetite: “The mechanism for overeating after inadequate sleep may be an elevation in a molecule called 2-arachidonoylglycerol.”
Big name, but basically it’s the same molecule that’s released when cannabis smokers get ‘the munchies’. So when they fly, their fat really doesn’t…
Your skin will be B.E.A.UTIFUL
You know that good old phrase ‘beauty sleep’? Well, it turns out it’s a real thing.
Chapter 10 from ‘Change Your Brain, Change Your Body’ by Daniel G. Amen, M.D. goes into detail about why you should clear out your Clarins and instead invest in perfecting your sleep.
Dr. Amen states how cell regeneration occurs when we sleep and it allows our skin to heal, glow and become blemish-free (au revoir cosmetics, bonjour natural beauty sleep). Amen to that.
As if you need any more excuses getting back to bed.
See you on the other side. Next stop, Bedfordshire.
Zzz.
To discover more on the Peak blog, head over to our hub for cognitive wellness here. Or choose from our latest brain training articles below:
- Top 7 Scary Books You’ve Never Read
- Why We Love To Be Scared
- The Best Foods For Brainpower: Q&A With A Nutritionist
- Back To Basics: Q&A With A Dietitian
- Lost Your Motivation? Here are 3 Tips To Increase Your Productivity
Sources cited:
- https://blog.bulletproof.com/benefits-of-sleep
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acq_wLx7iVY
- ‘Change Your Brain, Change Your Body’ by Daniel G. Amen