Boost your immune system with a good night’s sleep

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1. You will remember more

TEMPUR® has conducted a Sleep and Memory survey in the UK, with the aim of exploring the link between the two; including what Brits tend to forget most, the effects of a poor night’s sleep on memory and what aids we use to improve our memory. The survey was conducted on 5,000 UK respondents aged 18+ and discovered that poor quality sleep beat stress, being hungover, and not having any memory aids to the top cause of reduced memory power. Further bad news finds that women are most likely to be affected by poor memory after a poor night’s sleep. But the good news is that 4 in 5 Brits believe having the right mattress is essential for a good night’s sleep and 52% of those with a TEMPUR® mattress say they would rate their sleep as good or excellent compared to 35% of the general population.

WHY IS TEMPUR® MATERIAL BETTER THAN MEMORY FOAM?

– Interconnected viscoelastic cell structure enables TEMPUR® mattresses to absorb extra pressure

– TEMPUR® material redistributes your weight, and adapts to your body, providing relief in painful areas of your body

– TEMPUR® material has 3% motion transfer versus 20% for normal memory foam, so you and your partner can both sleep peacefully

2. You will maintain your weight

Sleep will help you maintain your weight. Why? Because the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which regulate appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. A thorough study by the American Thoracic Society found that women who slept for 5 hours per night were 32% more likely to experience major weight gain (defined as an increase of 33 pounds or more) and 15% more likely to become obese over the course of the 16-year study compared with women who slept 7 hours. Women who slept for 6 hours were 12% more likely to have major weight gain and 6% more likely to become obese compared with women who slept 7 hours a night. Lack of sleep leads to weight gain. To maintain your weight, make sure you’re getting enough zzzzs.

3. You will boost your immune system

Sleep will help you keep well because while you’re sleeping your body is producing extra protein that can strengthen your ability to fight infection. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair the damage caused by stress. A study by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information also proved that both sleep and the circadian system help the immune system function efficiently, showing that when the sleep-wake cycle is interrupted, the body’s system begin to suffer. Another reason to focus on getting your sleep hygiene sorted.

4. You will boost your mood

Sleep can have a massive impact on how you feel on a daily basis because it impacts so many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. (People with serotonin deficiencies are more likely to suffer from depression.) In a recent study by the University of Pennsylvania, researchers found that subjects who were limited to only 4.5 hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. When the subjects resumed normal sleep, they reported a dramatic improvement in mood.

5. You will look healthier and more attractive

Sleep doesn’t just make you feel good, it makes you look good too. A study in the British Medical journal photographed a group of healthy, adults (age 18-31) and deprived them of sleep and asked untrained observers to rate the photographs. The study concluded that that sleep deprived people appear less healthy, less attractive, and more tired compared with when they are well rested. Now, there’s some motivation to head off to bed early.

Image: Getty Images/iStock