The importance of sleep

Everyone talks about how nice it is to get a good night’s rest but few of us realize the importance of sleep, particularly a good night’s sleep. Contrary to the popular saying “you snooze, you lose”, there are plenty of scientific researches that are showing that sleep is a vital part of health and healing. A good night’s sleep is important for your overall health but also in cancer prevention.

Avoid sleep deficiency

Did you know that the number of women and men who report sleeping fewer than six hours a night has increased significantly over the last 20 years? This is known as sleep deficiency. The definition of sleep deficiency is a state of inadequate or mistimed sleep. Sleep deficiency contributes to many of the common medical conditions that we see today, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer.

The importance of sleep

Recent researches have shown that:

Adults who sleep seven to eight hours per night have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those sleeping less
Sleeping less than six hours a night can increase the risk for stroke and likelihood of developing diabetes
Short sleep duration can increase the risk of becoming obese
Short sleep duration has been associated with a greater risk of various types of cancer, including breast, colorectal and prostate cancer
Women who sleep between eight to nine hours a night decreased their risk of breast cancer

Steps to improving your sleep health

While some primary sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia and restless leg syndrome may require medical attention, most people can do a lot to improve their own sleep (and as a result, their health) by setting up a proper routine for getting enough sleep. The following are some simple tips that can greatly improve your sleep:

Engage in relaxing activities and avoid late meals, strenuous exercise and television before sleep
Try to use a dark and quiet space for sleep
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine before sleep.
Listen to calming sounds that help your mind relax and stimulate sleep. Sleep sounds from our sleep collection are some of the best nature sounds available for relaxing you before bed.