After reading the sobering list of harmful effects of poor sleep, I hope all my readers leave the late-night parties early. If your friends complain, don’t be shy and name me the culprit, as I am used to being the scapegoat. Anyway, let’s see the benefits of a good night’s sleep.
1. Cardiovascular System
Improved heart health
Adequate sleep helps regulate blood pressure and reduces the risk of hypertension.
Reduced risk of heart disease:
Good sleep lowers the risk of coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and stroke.
Better heart rate variability :Enhances autonomic nervous system balance, promoting cardiovascular resilience.
So essentially, simply by sleeping well, you are minimising the risk of developing hypertension, arrhythmias and ischemic heart disease! Is there anything miraculous? So why don’t we sleep?
2. Nervous System
Enhanced cognitive function:Improves memory consolidation, learning, attention, and problem-solving skills.
Emotional regulation: Supports mood stability and reduces risk of depression and anxiety.
Neural repair and detoxification: Facilitates clearance of neurotoxic waste products (e.g., beta-amyloid) via the glymphatic system.
So, essentially, by sleeping, you reduce the risk of developing dementia way better than any drug produced to reduce dementia. So why are we watching another episode of Breaking Bad, increasing the risk of dementia, so that later you will not remember if you have watched Breaking Bad?