Five benefits of going to sleep early

Going to bed early has its big advantages, from making us more productive to prolonging our lives.

The recommended seven to eight hours of sleep for an average adult, maintaining that and during our days off, is crucial for our physical and psychological well-being.

Here's why.

Strengthening the immune system

During the winter months, preserving immunity is even more important to us than usual, and sleep plays a big role in that.

A 2017 study conducted at the University of Washington showed a link between sleep and the immune system. Those who go to bed later and sleep less than seven hours will have weaker immune systems compared to someone who has the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep.

Renowned neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter pointed out that after 10 p.m., the body metabolizes many waste substances, and between 11:00 and 2:00 p.m., the immune system "charges."

More energy

There's no denying that after a good night's sleep, we wake up full of energy and ready for more victories. On the other hand, lack of sleep results in a sluggish and exhausted feeling.

Why is this happening? Research shows that renewable functions in the body, such as muscle growth, tissue repair and growth hormones, are released during sleep.

Sleep gives the body an opportunity to rebuild what we lost while we were awake, and that's what we need to be full of energy the next day.

Mental health

When it comes to mental health, sufficient sleep can be crucial. The University of Pennsylvania investigated that sleep deprivation affects general mood. Respondents who were limited to 4 - 5 hours of sleep during the night during one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, reluctant and physically exhausted.

Another study found that people suffering from insomnia are five times more likely to develop depression.

Preserving heart health

There is another saving benefit to sleep: it keeps the heart healthy because it lowers blood pressure. Since high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, sleep could improve your quality of life or even save it.

At the University of Bonn, a 24-hour study was conducted in people who were on duty for 24 hours. Sleep deprivation has been shown to increase cardio, blood pressure and heart rate.

Heart strain was also observed because it had to work 10 percent more than usual. It also increased levels of thyroid hormones (TSH, T3 and T4) and cortisol, a hormone that occurs in response to stress.

Controlling body weight

There are a series of studies that agree that sleep is a key ingredient when it comes to managing body weight. In other words, enough sleep stops the weight gain. Namely, if we sleep insufficiently, the secretion of the hormone cortisol increases, which causes appetite, while also reducing the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels.

If we are sleep-deprived, there is a higher risk not only of piling on the pounds but also of diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

This can also happen to perfectly healthy people, even if, according to a 2018 study, they are more likely to be told they're not going to be able to do that. Jonathan Cederanes and associates are only missing five consecutive days of irregular sleep. This adds to the fact that if we go to bed too late, the next day we will be too tired for any bodily activity, and thus we will not be able to burn enough fat.