Sleep is one of the most fundamental human needs, right alongside food, water and air. Yet, it’s often the first thing to be sacrificed in a busy lifestyle. We cram our schedules, binge-watch our favourite shows and scroll through social media late into the night, all while telling ourselves that we’ll catch up on sleep later. But the truth is, sleep isn’t a luxury; it’s actually a vital necessity, and consistently depriving ourselves of it carries such serious consequences…
While it might feel like we’re simply shutting down for a few hours, sleep is an incredibly active and complex process. Our brains and bodies are working hard during this process, performing essential restorative and regulatory functions. You may be aware that sleep occurs in cycles, with each sleep cycle lasting around 90 minutes, comprising of different stages:
- Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep:
- N1 (Light Sleep): This is the transition from wakefulness to sleep. The heartbeat, breathing and eye movements slow down, as muscles relax.
- N2 (Deeper Sleep): The body temperature drops and eye movements stop. The brain activity slows, with bursts of activity called sleep spindles and K-complexes, involved in memory consolidation.
- N3 (Deepest Sleep/Slow-Wave Sleep): This is the most restorative stage of sleep, where the heartbeat and breathing are at their slowest, and it’s very difficult to wake you up. During this stage, the body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. Growth hormone is also released during this stage of sleep.
- Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep: This is the stage where most dreaming occurs. Brain activity increases, becoming closer to that of a waking state, as eyes move rapidly. Muscles become temporarily paralysed to prevent acting out dreams. REM sleep is crucial for cognitive functions such as memory consolidation, learning and emotional processing.
Why We Should Optimise Our Sleep: It’s Not Just About Feeling Less Tired
Thinking of sleep simply as a way to avoid feeling groggy the next day is grossly missing the bigger picture. Optimising sleep means prioritising consistent, high-quality rest, as it directly impacts every facet of our wellbeing. When we consistently get less than 7-9hrs of sleep, we accumulate a sleep debt that can have significant detrimental effects to our health.
Our bodies thrive on routine, and sleep is no exception. A consistent sleep schedule helps to regulate our circadian rhythm, which is the body’s internal 24-hour clock, influencing everything from hormone release to body temperature and mood. Disrupting this rhythm through irregular sleep patterns can throw our entire system out of whack.
The Abundant Health Benefits Of A Good Night’s Sleep
The payoffs for prioritising our sleep are immense and far-reaching:
- Enhanced Cognitive Function and Performance: A well-rested brain performs far better. Sleep improves focus, concentration, problem-solving skills, creativity and memory. We may struggle to learn something new or make a complex decision with inadequate sleep, like trying to run software on an overloaded computer, it becomes slower and prone to crashes.
- Improved Mood and Emotional Regulation: Sleep deprivation makes us more irritable, anxious and prone to experiencing mood swings. Adequate sleep helps to regulate neurotransmitters in the brain, leading to better emotional stability and a more positive outlook. It also plays a key role in processing and integrating emotions from the day.
- Stronger Immune System: While we sleep, our body produces protective proteins called cytokines, which fight infection and inflammation. Sleep deprivation can reduce the production of these protective cytokines, making us more susceptible to colds, flu and other infections.
- Better Physical Health and Recovery: Deep sleep is when our body undergoes essential repair and regeneration. It helps to repair muscle tissue, synthesise proteins and release growth hormone, which is vital for tissue growth and repair. For athletes, sleep is as crucial as training and nutrition for peak performance and injury prevention.
- Weight Management and Metabolic Health: A lack of sleep disrupts hormones that regulate appetite, ghrelin and leptin, leading to increased hunger and cravings for unhealthy foods. It also affects insulin sensitivity, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Prioritising sleep can be a powerful tool for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
- Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases: Chronic sleep deprivation is also linked to an increased risk of serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and obesity. Getting enough sleep is a protective factor against all of these conditions.
- Increased Safety: Drowsiness impairs our reaction time, judgment and awareness, making you a danger to yourself and others, especially when driving or operating machinery. Sleep deprivation is a significant contributor to accidents and injuries.
Sleep is not a passive state, but an active, vital process that underpins all of our physical health, mental sharpness and emotional wellbeing. It’s time to stop viewing sleep as an optional extra and start recognising it for what it truly is: a non-negotiable pillar of a healthy, fulfilling life. So let’s make sleep a priority, and unlock a wealth of benefits that will empower us to live life to the fullest.
MBA Supplements: SleepCycle Pro
A brand that I personally love are MBA Supplements and their premium Sleep Cycle Pro supplements, which have been expertly designed to support relaxation, improve sleep quality and enhance overall wellbeing. Formulated with a blend of science-backed ingredients, these vegan-friendly capsules are packed with 1200mg of taurine to promote calmness and regulate stress responses, 100mg of magnesium for muscle relaxation and healthy sleep cycles, 100mg of L-theanine for relaxation without drowsiness, and 200mg of L-tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, crucial for a restful nights sleep.
This natural and effective blend allows me to beautifully unwind at the end of a busy, stressful day, in order to achieve a deep and restorative sleep. Each jar contains 60 capsules, which is a 30 day supply of 2 capsules per day for adults over the age of 18yrs. Third party tested for peace of mind, they are proudly bioavailable to ensure optimal absorption for utilisation by the body.
I find when work deadlines are creeping up on me, if I travel or have a dip in energy levels, I can do with an extra helping hand to switch off my busy mind, relax, unwind and clock up some high-quality sleep to break ground on progress and life events. Targeting superior cell regeneration, whilst diminishing stress, these supplements harmonise energy levels and holistic wellness, revitalising my body and enhancing recovery.
Containing natural ingredients to promote relaxation, reduce stress and support healthy sleep cycles for a restful night, I wake up feeling so refreshed and energised after a great nights sleep, enthusiastic to take on my day without the morning grogginess that I’ve experienced from other sleep supplements. A good nights sleep is truly priceless; something that none of us should ever go without for sustained periods of time.
www.mbasupplements.com
Facebook: /MBA-supplements
Instagram: @mbssupplements
Tik Tok: @mba.supplements
X: @mbasupplements
