Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep by Paul Stevens

Anyone who has trouble sleeping understands how difficult it can be to function without the proper amount of sleep. In addition to avoiding the next-day grogginess, there are many benefits of a good night's sleep.

Reduce Stress

When you do not sleep enough, the body becomes stressed out. When this happens it increases the overall stress level of the person suffering from insomnia.

It is sort of a catch 22. One of the remedies for insomnia is reducing stress yet one of the problems associated with insomnia is an increase in stress.

Talk to your doctor about ways to reduce stress so that you again get all of the benefits of a good night's sleep.

Lose Weight

There are so many actions that promise to help you lose weight. Could it be true that spending a little more time in dreamland could actually help you shed some extra pounds? Yes! Studies show a link between weight gain and insomnia.

If you get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, it can be one factor that helps you lose weight.

Heart Health

There are studies that show a link between insomnia and high blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the factors that increase the risk for heart disease.

Also, as mentioned above, those suffering from insomnia are also at a greater risk of being overweight which is another heart disease risk factor.

More Productive

One of the more obvious and immediate benefits of a good night's sleep is that you are much more likely to be productive the next day. Even one night in which you do not get enough sleep can impact your productivity and ability to concentrate.

Also, you cannot make up for several night's lack of sleep by trying to cram in extra sleep the day before a big event for which you need to be well rested.

In order to be the most productive, you must sleep between seven and nine hours every night.

General Health

There have been many studies that link lack of sleep to a number of medical conditions. While not all of the studies were conclusive, one thing is certain: The benefits of a good night's sleep are many. It is better for your physical health and your emotional well being to get the right amount of sleep each night.

If you are having trouble sleeping, you should talk to your doctor about possible remedies. The suggested remedy may be a simple lifestyle change, stress reduction or, in some cases, prescription sleep aids.

The benefits of a good night's sleep are numerous enough that you should make battling insomnia one of your top priorities.