How the Body Heals Itself During Sleep

by Guest Post Aug 17, 2018

advice • guest post

How the Body Heals Itself During Sleep

Do you know that awesome feeling when you get into bed, stay asleep all night, and wake up feeling refreshed? No? Why? Think about it. You may not be getting enough sleep at night, right? Hmm, I hope you know the consequences then! Many people do a lot of dieting and workout throughout the day or have a hectic schedule, and still don’t get enough sleep, which is detrimental for your health.

Keeping our eyes closed for a few hours in a row does not mean that we are sleeping. We have to follow a schedule and take our sleep cycles seriously. Many of us don’t know that the body heals itself during sleep. If you are one of those who believe that sleeping is just a waste of time, hold on! Keep calm and read this article.

We can find sufficient proof in scientific studies that ‘sleeping’ is a super active and positive process to keep us alive and healthy. Imagine you did a fantastic workout and then didn’t eat properly or rest properly. What will happen? You may faint in the office. Being human beings, we shouldn’t interrupt a habit that helps us to feel rested and refreshed the next day, without being cranky and frustrated.

Before we go further, let’s understand the sleep cycle so that you can know why a majority of the people suggest getting the full 8 hours of sleep.

The Sleep Cycle

You might be aware of the four stages of sleep for about 90 minutes each.

The First Stage of sleep, our muscles relax and may twitch, but this stage may make slow eye movements, and so, we may wake up in between.
Second Stage is the longest one. In this stage, our body temperature drops, and slowly we start losing the sense of place. It also regulates our breathing and heart rate, as well as slower the brain waves. Eventually, our eye movement stops.
In the Third Phase our blood pressure drops and muscles are completely relaxed. In this stage, our tissues start to grow and repair themselves. Even hormones are released during this stage. It is an essential phase of our sleep cycle as our energy starts to replenish.
The Last Stage of sleep is REM (25% of the rest,) where our brain is active and might be dreaming. We feel that our muscles are paralyzing, and eyes dart rapidly. It is the phase when irregular breathing and heart rate may occur.

Distractions of Sleep

All of us have the same issue when it comes to sleep - TIME!!! We always try to convince our mind that we don’t have much time to be spent on rest. But is it true? In reality, we have lost count of how many times we didn’t get enough sleep, not due to work but because of some other stupid, silly, and unproductive reasons.

Amongst them, the most common one is - Mobile Phones. We stare at our phones and keep scrolling for hours, and then complain that we don’t have time to fulfill the basic necessity of sleep. If you are doing that - STOP! Sleeping well will make you feel sharper, stronger, and energized throughout the next day. It can also prevent the issue of backaches, headaches, and spasms as well as relaxes our twitched muscles and help us to lose more fat.

If you have a set routine like waking up, working out, going to the office, giving time to family, and managing your diet, then you have to get proper sleep at night. You can’t compromise your health just because you can’t find time for your entertainment. Cut out those extra hours and get proper sleep, especially when you are a gym freak.

How Does the Body Heal Itself During Sleep?

Sleep can heal us inside out. What is better than having benefited from those unconscious hours of inactivity? We have spongy tissues inside the bones that contain stem cells. These cells are much needed to build the blood cells of our body. Healthy sleep is as important as the daily exercise to fulfill the basic necessity for healthy bone marrow.

It is even more helpful for brain health just like the skeletal system health. Our brain decides what to store and what to discard during the sleep. Crucial details become memories during sleep which can be recalled anytime when they are needed.

Apart from these, there are some other incredible ways our body heals during sleep. Proper sleep can:

Protect the heart during workout stress
Save hundreds of calories
Regulate hormones
Strengthen the bones
Improve metabolism
Keep skin health
Develop new muscle fiber
Repair brain cells
Stabilize emotions
Learn and memorize new information

It’s not over yet! There are a few more benefits sound sleep can provide. Let’s discuss them too. Okay, ask yourself; “Have I ever felt ugly and less attractive after a night?” If your inner person says a big “Yes,” then you are not alone, friend! The root-cause is (guess what!) Sleep Deprivation.

How Can Sleep Heal Muscles After Working Out?

Generally, 7 to 8 hours of sleep is excellent for our daily routine. But when it comes to athletes or those people who work out 4 to 6 hours a day, then it is essential to get a minimum 9 hours of sleep to restore energy and rest muscles. Find some ways and plan your daily activities in a way which can allow you to go to bed early. Sleep reduces stress - mental as well as physical - and give us positivity & strength to get up and work out the next day. Sleep deprivation affects your body negatively and reduces willpower.

Specific hours of deep sleep keeps every organ and biological process healthy and functioning. If we do not follow a routine sleep pattern, then we silently create a need to take melatonin supplements or wearable sleep technology to get proper rest. Proper sleep functions are like our healing superheroes.

Some Other Compromises

A Swedish survey found that people who have 30 hours of sleep deprivation lack their glow compared to those people who get full hours of sleep every day!

One possibility is that if we do not get proper sleep or avoid going to bed on time, we consume too many calories which may lead to unhealthy weight gain even after regular workout sessions.
Science proves that deprived sleep can be one of the reasons for less interest in sex and affect fertility adversely on. Quality rest is also essential for sexual health and productivity. Sleep helps in keeping the body’s hormones in balance.
Lack of sleep gets rid of many hormones including those which are related to smooth sexual functionality. Women who sleep better have more sexual desire.
If you don’t get proper sleep on a daily basis, you may have trouble making decisions or solving problems. Control of emotions and coping with change seem impossible.

Decide what you want in your life. Those extra hours in front of the idiot box or mobile phones, or a better, productive, and healthy lifestyle? On one hand, you can convert your unconscious time into energy, and on the other hand, sleep deficiency may lead you to depression, suicidal thoughts, and infertility. So eat right, sleep tight, and have a good night - always. :)