How much sleep do I actually need?
Only your body knows how long it needs to sleep in order to be fresh and well rested. Sleeping needs are actually very individual. Between five and ten hours everything is OK. The best thing is to allow yourself a break of at least five days and take the test. During the test, sleeping is always allowed and without any limits. Alarms and their two- or four-legged equivalents are not allowed, of course.
Over time, your sleep duration and rhythm will settle to the ideal level. The pleasant side effect: Beyond professional and social obligations, you can also find out right away whether you prefer going to bed and getting up earlier or later.
So, what do you do now you know your sleeping needs? Of course, there are many seemingly good reasons to say no to sleep. Buzzing parties, tight deadlines and gripping series obviously form the top 3 here. But maybe the following arguments will convince you to give preference to the pillow:5 convincing reasons for sleeping late.
1. Sleep makes you physically fitter
Your body is able to deliver astonishing performances. Above all, it needs one thing in particular to do so: sleep. If your body is lacking sleep, your reaction time will be slowed down, your circulation will go down and your movements will be less precise. While we sleep blissfully, there is actually a lot going on in our bodies: your muscles are built up, messenger substances are formed and your batteries are generally recharged. This way, you will be ready for the next day. Especially athletes need enough sleep to reach their training goals.
2. Sleep makes you more intelligent
This will sound familiar to you: you are overtired and can’t remember the easiest words. This doesn’t come as a surprise because your memory and the amount of your sleep (and its quality) are directly linked. Researchers suspect that long-term memory is primarily formed during sleep. At night, the brain sights the material that you piled up during the day. Electrical and neurochemical processes take place which save the important and delete the unimportant. As a result, the "hard drive brain" remains receptive and quick. If you want to use your brain to its full capabilities and also receive a flash of inspiration from time to time, you should be well-rested.
3. Sleep makes you healthier
4. Sleep makes you younger
Gut, auch der fleißigste Langschläfer wird dadurch nicht ewig leben. Aber Deine Jugend ein paar Jährchen länger zu konservieren, das geht schon. Oxidativer Stress lässt Zellen schneller altern und damit auch Deine Haut. Das Ergebnis sind Falten und ein fahler Teint. Wer viel schläft, gibt seinem Körper die Chance, sich zu verjüngen. Nachts läuft nämlich die Zellerneuerung auf vollen Touren. Tja, Schönheitsschlaf ist eben doch kein Mythos.
5. Sleep makes you happier
„Consulting one’s pillow“ – this phrase alludes to the regulatory effect that sleep has on the human psyche. And indeed, everything only feels half as intense the next morning. While we are in dreamland, our brain processes negative feelings like fear, anger and grief. In addition, sleep helps us to deal with stress and relaxes us deeply. All of this ensures that you are well rested and a happy and resilient person.
Conclusion:
Enough sleep is the base of all your daily activities. That is what makes sleep vital. This is especially good to know if you ever have to deal with some sly advice like: You can sleep when you’re dead… On this note: Put your nightcap on and off to bed!