The Importance of Quality Sleep: Why Getting Enough Sleep is Vital to Your Health

In today’s fast-paced world, it sometimes feels like it’s hard enough to find a minute to relax, let alone 7-9 hours to sleep well. But getting enough sleep and getting high-quality sleep is just as important to your health as eating a nutritious diet and getting regular exercise.

Even though most people know that sleep is important, they don’t always prioritize it. In fact, 35% of adults in the United States don’t get enough sleep. Those who experience sleep deprivation can face a number of health issues, from increased risk of disease to poor mood and mental performance.

Though sleep needs will vary from person to person, one thing is clear—sleeping well is vital to your overall health and well-being. In this post, we’ll look at what it means to get quality sleep, how sleep impacts your health, and a few ways you can work toward improving your sleep habits.

Quality Sleep 101: What It Means to Get Healthy Sleep

Quality sleep is about more than just sleep duration. Even if you get the recommended hours of sleep each night, it doesn’t mean that your sleep is high quality. Let’s take a look at the science behind sleeping and what it truly means to have a good night’s rest.

The Science of Sleep

Every person has an internal body clock that regulates sleep. This clock tells you when you’re tired and ready to sleep or when you’re feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. The clock is controlled by your circadian rhythm, which is on a 24-hour cycle.

Light impacts your circadian rhythm. When the eyes are exposed to natural or artificial light, a region of the brain called the hypothalamus and a cluster of cells within it (called the suprachiasmatic nucleus) process these signals. The signals then help the brain determine whether it is day or night.

The body releases melatonin when the natural light disappears in the evening. This is a hormone that causes you to be sleepy. The body releases a hormone called cortisol (which promotes energy and alertness) when the sun rises in the morning.

While you’re sleeping, a number of things are going on in your body:

— Growth hormones are released for healing and development. 
— Your discs are rehydrated, and your muscles are repaired. 
— Processes occur for protein synthesis and tissue growth.
— Your memories are categorized, and your motor skills are fine-tuned.

What are the Stages of Sleep?

Once you fall asleep, your body will go through 4 stages of sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the four stages of sleep look like this:

— Awake - You transition from wakefulness to sleep. Your muscles relax, and your heart rate slows. Your breathing, eye movements, and brain waves also start to slow. This typically lasts a few minutes.

— Light Sleep - You transition to a deeper sleep as your heart rate and breathing continue to slow down, and the muscles relax further. Your body temperature starts to decrease. This is the longest of the 4 stages.

— Deep Sleep - This is when your heartbeat, breathing, and brain waves reach their lowest levels. The muscles are as relaxed as possible. This stage is responsible for making you feel refreshed and alert the next day.

— REM (Rapid Eye Movement) - Your first REM stage happens about 90 minutes after you fall asleep. Your eyes will move back and forth quickly under your eyelids. Breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure start to increase. 

REM sleep is vital because it is a mentally restorative sleep phase where you begin to convert short-term memories to long-term memories. This is also the stage where you dream, and it can impact your mood. It’s important to note that alcohol consumption can really interfere with REM sleep.

What Factors Impact Sleep Quality?

There are many factors that can impact your sleep quality. Here are just a few things that can interfere with your sleep patterns and amount of sleep, causing poor quality sleep:

— Irregular sleep schedule 
— Light exposure, including screen time
— Uncomfortable sleeping environment
— Sleep disorders like sleep apnea
— Consuming alcohol or caffeine before bed
— Eating a large meal before bed
— Prescription medications
— Taking long naps during the day
— Using your bedroom as a multipurpose room
— Medical conditions that cause pain and discomfort

If you do not feel rested after getting enough hours of sleep, you wake up multiple times during the night, or you are experiencing symptoms of a sleep disorder (like snoring or trouble falling asleep), it’s important to get help from a medical professional as sleep does impact your overall health

How Much Sleep do I need?

Sleep needs vary from person to person. Age is the largest determining factor in how much sleep a person needs. Generally, the hours of sleep decrease as age increases. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends hours of sleep based on age:

— 0-3 months: 14-17 hours
— 4-12 months: 12-16 hours (including naps)
— 1-2 years: 11-14 hours (including naps)
— 3-5 years: 10-13 hours (including naps)
— 6-12 years: 9-12 hours
— 13-18 years: 8-10 hours
— 18-64 years: 7-9 hours
— 65 years and older: 7-8 hours

While people within these age brackets may need more or less sleep depending on factors like activity levels, this is a good starting point for determining how much sleep you need.

8 Health Benefits of Quality Sleep

There are many health benefits to getting quality sleep on a regular basis. Here are just a few ways that consistent, high-quality sleep can support a healthy body and mind:

1. High-quality sleep helps support a healthy immune system.

Proper sleep can help improve your immune system. When you sleep, your body produces cytokines proteins, which help improve your immune function. Studies actually show that those who sleep more than 7 hours a night are less likely to develop a cold or flu than those who sleep 5 or fewer hours per night.

2. Getting quality sleep each night helps maintain or lose weight.

Just as not getting enough sleep can lead to weight gain, quality sleep can help a person better regulate their calorie intake. A 2022 clinical trial found that overweight adults who increased sleep duration took in fewer calories than those who did not, suggesting that improving and maintaining healthy sleep duration can help with weight loss and obesity prevention.

Not to mention, a good night’s rest allows you to feel more alert and gives you more energy. These factors are important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you sleep well, you’re more inclined to exercise and eat healthy meals.

3. Quality sleep can help you reduce inflammation.

Studies show a link between adequate sleep and reduced inflammation in the body. One study shows a significant association between poor sleep quality and higher levels of inflammation, especially in women. 

When a person goes to sleep at inconsistent times or wakes up during the night, this can disturb the body’s natural process of regulating inflammation during sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep gives your body adequate time to regulate and reduce inflammation.

4. Quality sleep can improve concentration, productivity, memory, and cognition.

Sleep impacts many different brain functions. Research shows that sleep deprivation negatively affects cognition, concentration, productivity, and performance. Those who get restful, consistent sleep have been shown to improve performance, concentration, and problem-solving skills, leading to higher productivity.

Research also shows that sleep is linked to many important brain functions like memory, performance, and cognition. The duration and quality of sleep can directly impact how you process and form memories, how you perform at school or work, and how you process, understand, and experience information and senses.

5. Quality sleep may strengthen heart health.

No matter your age, weight, diet, or exercise regimen, without enough sleep, you increase your risk for heart disease. In fact, insomnia is linked to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity — all of which impact your risk for heart disease. 

Not only does your body repair itself when you sleep, but you are also more likely to make decisions that are good for your heart health if you get enough high-quality sleep. For example, someone who is well-rested is more likely to be less stressed and stick to an exercise plan.

6. Sleep can enhance athletic performance.

The body heals during sleep, which is essential for athletes or regularly active people that want to maintain a healthy body and improve performance. Quality sleep can also result in better endurance, higher energy, better accuracy and reaction time, faster speeds, and better mental functioning—which all help improve physical performance.

7. Sleep helps you improve emotional and social intelligence.

Sleep has been linked to emotional and social intelligence. Those who do not get enough sleep have difficulty recognizing other people’s emotions and expressions. A lack of emotional or social intelligence can negatively impact a person’s relationships and social interactions.

One recent study showed that people who regularly get quality sleep tend to perceive themselves as having better emotional intelligence. This allows them to do well in social settings, maintain relationships, and have better control of their emotions and impulses.

8. Proper sleep can help reduce stress levels.

Not only does stress impact your ability to sleep well, but your quality of sleep can also impact your stress levels. Poor sleeping habits prevent your body from being able to effectively regulate hormone levels overnight. When you aren’t getting enough sleep, your body reacts as if it’s in distress, causing you to release more cortisol, the stress hormone. 

An American Psychological Association survey found that many people reported their stress levels increased when the duration and quality of their sleep decreased. On average, the adults that reported lower stress levels got 8 or more hours of sleep per night.

How Lack of Sleep Negatively Impacts Your Health

Not only can quality sleep have positive impacts on your health, but the lack of sleep can also negatively impact the body and brain. Here are a few ways that lack of sleep or quality sleep can negatively impact your health.

Sleep deprivation can significantly shorten a person’s life.

With all the health benefits of quality sleep, it should come as no surprise that a lack of sleep can actually shorten your life. Sleep is important to many vital functions of the body, and a lack of quality sleep can cause health problems that increase your risk of mortality.

In fact, one study found that sleep disturbances can be a predictor of mortality. A large number of sleep interruptions can actually shorten a person’s life expectancy.

Lack of quality sleep can increase your risk of disease.

Low sleep quality and duration can increase your risk of conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and even obesity. Sleep has also been shown to increase the risk of high blood pressure, especially in those with sleep apnea.

A recent study shows that 7 in 10 cardiovascular conditions could be prevented if every person had consistent, high-quality sleep. It’s important to note that the relationship between sleep duration and cardiovascular disease can be complex. Both lack of sleep (less than 6 hours per night) and excess sleep (more than 9 hours per night) have both been associated with increased risk.

Shortened sleep can lead to weight gain and a higher body mass index (BMI).

Several studies in recent years have shown a relationship between obesity and poor sleep patterns. One study shows that people who sleep less than 7 hours a night are more likely to have a high BMI and develop obesity than those who sleep 7 or more hours per night.

The research shows that sleep deprivation is associated with high levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. This can cause people to feel hungrier and overeat, as well as crave foods that are higher in sugar and fat. Decreased sleep can also result in fatigue, which impacts a person’s ability to maintain healthy habits like exercise.

Insufficient sleep can have a significant impact on your mood, emotions, and judgment.

Lack of sleep and poor quality sleep can negatively affect your mental health and mood. When you’re tired, it’s harder to control your emotions and behaviors. It’s also more difficult to show empathy, which can impact your relationships. Not getting enough sleep could even be making you more selfish.

Additionally, there is a strong link between poor sleep quality and depression. Studies show that people with sleep disorders report higher rates of depression, and those with depression and anxiety are more likely to report poorer sleep quality than those without.

Sleep deficiency impacts your judgment to the point that it can increase your risk of getting into a car accident. One study found that sleeping just 6 hours a night was associated with a 33% increased crash risk when compared to 7 or 8 hours of sleep per night.

Lack of sleep can even age you.

“Beauty sleep” is real. Just as getting quality sleep can lead to better skin, sleep deprivation can significantly change the appearance of the skin and face for the worse. Lack of sleep can exacerbate skin conditions like rosacea and also impact skin hydration, which is vital to a healthy, beautiful complexion.

5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Quality of Sleep

Want to improve your sleep quality? Here are 5 easy ways that you can work on developing healthy sleep habits and getting better sleep:

1. Keep a consistent sleep schedule.

Disrupting your sleep schedule can impact the duration and quality of your sleep. While it can be difficult sometimes, it’s important to try your best to keep a consistent sleep schedule. 

Go to sleep at the same time every night, and make sure this time allows you to get a full 7-9 hours of sleep. Also, you’ll want to get up at the same time every day, even on the weekends and during vacations.

2. Limit exposure to bright lights in the evenings.

Bright lights can signal to your internal clock that it’s not time for sleep yet. Research also shows that blue lights from phone and computer screens can interfere with sleep duration and melatonin production.

For this reason, you’ll want to limit your exposure to bright lights and screens in the evening hours before bed. Instead of watching television, working on your computer, or looking at your phone before bed, try reading a book (not on a screen), meditating, or listening to relaxing music.

3. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.

Stress can impact sleep duration and quality. That’s why it’s so important to find ways to relax before you get into bed. Establishing a routine helps you train your brain to wind down at the end of the night and can help you maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

For most people, a bedtime routine might include preparing for the next day, reading a book, washing your face, brushing your teeth, stretching, meditating, journaling, or anything else that helps you slow down before sleep time.

4. Create a comfortable sleep environment.

It’s hard to sleep if you feel uncomfortable. If you want the best chance for good sleep, make sure that you create a sleep environment that’s both comfortable and conducive to falling and staying asleep:

— Keep the room at a cool and comfortable temperature(69 or below). 
— Make sure that it’s dark and quiet. 
— Choose a mattress and bedding that makes you feel most comfortable.
— Avoid doing any other activities in your bedroom, like working or watching television.
— Minimize sleep disruptions by turning off cell phone notifications.

5. Refrain from caffeine, alcohol, and large meals before bedtime.

Caffeine, alcohol, and large meals before bedtime can all impact your sleep. Refrain from consuming these things within the hours leading up to your bedtime(stop caffeine at least 6hrs before bed and alcohol 3hrs prior). If you feel hungry or want a drink, try a small healthy snack, a glass of water, or an herbal tea.

Final Thoughts

When looking at the science, it’s clear that sleep really is just as important to our health as nutrition and exercise. 

Dr. Mark Hyman says it best:

“…Sleep is medicine just like food is medicine, and may even be more important than diet. Sleep regulates your brain function, helps stabilize your mood, and is a time when the body heals.”

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