We all know that getting enough sleep is an important part of staying healthy – on par with exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet. Consistently missing out on your eight hours of slumber can affect brain health, immune resistance, alertness and other essential aspects of well-being. After all, this time not only gives your body and mind a chance to recover from the day, but there are many essential internal processes that take place when your mind is at rest. As a result, missing out on a single night's sleep can throw your system out of synch in more ways than you may think.
In fact, medical experts may go from simply recommending that people get enough sleep to actually prescribing slumber as a treatment. According to a press release from the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, sleep plays an important role in promoting metabolic health, to the point where it may be incorporated in the treatment of diabetes, obesity and other concerns linked to metabolism.
"In the past few years, sleep loss as a disorder characterizing the 24-hour lifestyle of modern societies has increasingly been shown to represent an additional behavioral factor adversely affecting metabolic health," the authors stated.
The researchers analyzed the link between sleep disorders and metabolic conditions. Overall, they observed a strong correlation between these health issues, though further research is required to explain this relationship. However, getting enough sleep is essential for health and well-being regardless of existing medical conditions, so individuals who are struggling to get enough shut-eye should consider consulting a physician or simply allotting more time to bed rest.
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