Proper sleep management is essential to your overall health and well-being, as well as for maintaining comfort and energy levels. According to the National Sleep Foundation®, adults between the ages of 18 and 64 should get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. Below, a few specific health advantages of adequate sleep are discussed in more detail.

3 Benefits of Getting Proper Sleep

1. Improve Learning & Memory

Sleep improves your ability to learn new skills and retain information. When a person is deprived of sleep, they have a harder time focusing their attention and energy on the tasks before them. Also, sleep plays a crucial role in the consolidation of memories; consolidation is the stage of information retention where the brain stabilizes new memories and commits them to long-term storage. It’s thought that neural pathways strengthen during sleep, encoding memories and information for easier recall when one is awake.

2. Manage Weight

Weight management and sleep management go hand in hand. When people are deprived of adequate sleep, they have increased levels of hunger hormones and decreased levels of hormones that make them feel full and sated. In fact, sleep-deprived individuals consume, on average, 300 calories a day more than those who get proper amounts of sleep. Also, keeping the body awake requires energy, which requires food, so an uptick in caloric intake is needed to keep the body in a state of wakefulness.

3. Lower Your Risk for Heart Disease & Stroke

People who sleep less than seven hours per night have a substantially increased risk of developing cardiovascular issues and strokes. But striking the right balance and staying within that seven- to nine-hour time frame is essential here, as longer rest periods have also been linked to a greater risk of heart disease and stroke.

If you're having sleep issues, Michel Longacre, D.C., of Longacre Vascular Therapy is here to help. He has more than 20 years of experience providing north-central Texas with effective sleep management solutions. Through an all-natural and innovate approach to wellness, Dr. Mike treats a variety of issues, from sports injuries and headaches to poor circulation and stress. Schedule an appointment today by calling (214) 240-6200 or visiting his website.