The Reasons Why Sleep Is So Important

Sleep.

We bet you are thinking about taking a nap right now. Just 20 minutes will do, or so you tell yourself. Actually, you would be happy if you could take the rest of the day off from work, go home, get comfortable on the couch and sleep the afternoon away.

The reason why you feel as though you could use a nap is that you probably didn't get enough sleep last night. As an adult, you should be getting at least seven to nine hours of shut-eye every night, if not, you are considered sleep deprived.

And even if you did go to bed early enough to get eight hours of sleep, you might be one of the 70 million American adults who suffer some sort of sleeping disorder. Insomnia is the most common specific sleeping disorder and affects about 30 percent of adults.

You might be wondering why we are giving you these statistics. Well, because we are going to tell you why it is so important that you get the sleep that you need every night, even if you are on a plane or otherwise traveling and unable to bed down for the night. It is critical that you get enough sleep and our airplane pillow helps you do just that.

There is a strong link between sleep and weight gain. People with short sleep duration tend to weigh significantly more than people who get an adequate amount of sleep each night.

One study, in particular, found that children and adults with short sleep duration were as much as 90 percent more likely to become obese. Of course, weight gain is also mediated by several other factors including diet and exercise. However, getting quality sleep is critical if you are trying to lose weight.

Chronic short sleepers are 48 percent more likely to develop and possibly die from coronary heart disease.

One study revealed a link between working night shifts and an increased risk for developing coronary heart disease. It is believed that working nights disrupts the natural circadian rhythms, which causes issues with our sleep.

There are several conditions that lack of sleep can lead to that will shorten your lifespan. But even independent of these factors, getting enough sleep has been shown to actually improve longevity.

Studies have looked into the effect of the amount of sleep people get to their lifespan. Research shows that people who get less than six hours of sleep at night make them 12 percent more likely to suffer a premature death.

A lack of sleep also increases the chances you will suffer a fatal accident. Sleep deprivation has a similar effect of alcohol intoxication on concentration and reaction time.

Neglecting sleep is not serving you well at all.

Getting enough sleep is critical for your immune system to fight off nasty infections. A lack of sleep, even just a little bit, can greatly reduce how well your immune system functions.

So if you want to avoid the flu and colds this winter, getting enough sleep each night is a good start.

As it turns out, the amount of sleep you get each night has just as much of an impact on athletic performance as diet.

Research shows us that receiving an adequate amount of sleep improves athletes/ speed, reaction time, accuracy and overall feelings of well-being.

Additionally, a lack of sleep negatively impacts metabolism, which hinders the ability to lose weight through exercise and also reduces the body’s ability to use glucose as energy to fuel workouts.

A lack of sleep increases the amount of inflammation you experience. An increased amount of inflammation raises your risk for a number of conditions including heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.

Research participants who were only permitted four hours of sleep a night for five nights experienced a 40 percent decrease of the level of insulin in their bodies. This is the hormone that regulates the use of sugar in the body.

For your brain to be able to perform at optimal level, it is essential that you get plenty of sleep. A lack of sleep affects everything from your ability to solve problems and concentrate to your ability to recall important information.

Even moderate sleep deprivation can greatly reduce your performance in the same way alcohol does.

One of the most apparent side-effects of poor sleep is in the changes of our mood. It is likely that you have suffered irritability and increased frustration due to a lack of sleep.

Sleep plays a critical role in our ability to control the positive and negative emotions that we feel. A lack of sleep also lowers our responsiveness to emotional stimuli.

Studies have shown that a lack of sleep reduces our ability to pick up on important social cues and respond to them in an appropriate manner. For example, sleep deprivation makes it difficult for us to recognize facial expressions. It is these impairments that make it hard for sleep-deprived people to navigate the social world.

So what difference does an extra hour of sleep make in your life? Quite a lot, actually. Unfortunately, many people find it difficult to turn off the television or put down the iPad, turn off the lights and go to sleep at a decent hour.

There are several situations in which getting sleep might prove to be difficult. Like when you are traveling for example. This is when we can help.

The Sleep-A-Board is a neck support pillow that helps you get the sleep you need. It allows you to hold on to your backpack or similar carry-ons to be held and secure while freeing up leg room in cramped quarters.

Whether you are on a bus, airplane or stuck at the terminal, you will be glad you have a Sleep-A-Board on your trip. Even a quick nap when traveling is enough to boost your energy and restore your feeling of well-being.