Anybody who’s had trouble sleeping will know how tough the following day can be. Not only do we feel sluggish and have trouble concentrating, but those dark circles under our eyes aren’t going to make us look very attractive either!

Whilst most of us will often struggle to achieve that mythical eight hours sleep per night, we all know how good sleep is a must for living healthy and active lives. So what is it about sleep that is so essential?

Rest our bodies

Far from being down-time, sleep is when our bodies actually get to carry out essential repair work. From repairing tissue, to growing muscle, and even synthesizing hormones, all of these complex operations are only carried out when we reach deep restorative sleep.

And whilst most of us are sometimes able to skip a decent night’s sleep, prolonged sleeplessness carries several health risks that range from diabetes to obesity and heart disease.

In addition to this, lack of sleep can also make out skin look tired as our skin cells don’t get to carry out their essential repair tasks, which is why we all need a good dose of beauty sleep!

Clear our minds

Sleep is also a time when our brains get to perform several important functions. It’s thought that we organize and consolidate our memories from the previous day during deep sleep, and the brain also carries out an important waste flushing function that reaches its peak whilst we sleep.

It’s this process of consolidating our memories that make the following day so much easier if we’ve had a successful night’s sleep.

Many studies have shown how anything from decision-making to simple tasks of concentration become much more difficult when we’re sleep deprived. So if you’re looking to get ahead in your career, be sure to get some more shut-eye!

Optimizing our sleep

There are many things we can do to improve our quality of sleep, and making sure that our bedroom environment is optimized towards sleep can work wonders.

Alongside blackout blinds and white noise makers, even something as simple as a sturdy metal bed from a brand like Bedstar can help us achieve a good night’s rest.

And with dietary factors like avoiding fatty foods, alcohol and caffeine, as well as staying away from the blue light emitted by smartphones and televisions, we can hope to enjoy the benefits of some deep and satisfying sleep!