Sleep Health
Good sleep is good for both our body and mind. After a good night of sleep, we wake up feeling refreshed, ready and alert for our daily activities. Sleep impacts how we look, feel, and perform on a daily basis, and has a major impact on our overall quality of life.
Improve Body Function
It is recommended that young adults aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. During sleep, vital organs, muscles, nerves and the brain take time to rest and rejuvenate. The following functions are improved with good sleep:
- Balance
- Cognitive function
- Immune system response
- Organ function
- Reflexes
Avoid Health Risks
Without good sleep, our bodies slowly shut down, causing fatigue impaired memory and emotional instability. When sleep gets cut shorter than the recommended amount needed, the body doesn't have time to complete muscle repair, memory consolidation, and release the hormones needed for regulating growth and appetite. Without good sleep, there can be an increase in:
- Moodiness
- Depression
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure
- Risk for chronic diseases such as Type II diabetes and heart disease
Questions?
Email Vandal Health Education at vandalhealthed@uidaho.edu.