The importance of sleep often gets overlooked in the daily shuffle that is life. For one, sleep is often the first thing to go when we’re trying to increase our efficiency and productivity. Keeping our bodies in a constant state of exhaustion, however, is self-defeating. Not only does it prevent us from living our best lives and being our most creative and productive, but it can age us prematurely.

As a former CEO, I understand how tempting it can be to skimp on an hour of sleep here and an hour of sleep there. After all, why do you need sleep when there’s so much to do? I used to share this mindset. But in the long run, you will pay for cheating the clock. Learn more about why shut-eye is vital to leading a vibrant life and aging well.

Sleep and Weight Loss

Did you know that poor sleep is directly linked to weight gain? In fact, it’s the number one risk factor for obesity. One study demonstrated that children and adults with short sleep duration are between 55 and 89 percent more likely to gain significant amounts of weight. So, if you’re trying to fight the weight loss battle, start by sleeping more.

Remember, too, that maintaining a healthy weight is critical to aging well. Numerous studies have demonstrated that as an individual’s weight increases, their brain shrinks in size. One study also found that the brains of obese people look 16 years older than their healthy peers. Overweight individuals’ brains looked eight years older.

Overeating and Sleep

Have you ever noticed how you feel hungrier the day after pulling a late-nighter? There’s a scientific reason for this. Numerous studies show that sleep-deprived people have greater appetites. Why? Because sleep deprivation throws off the body’s appetite hormones. The result? Higher levels of ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates appetite, and lower levels of leptin, the hormone that suppresses appetite. Extra weight not only ages our appearance but puts us at risk for cardiovascular events and other illnesses.

Physical Performance and Sleep

Long sleep also significantly improves athletic and physical performance, from speed to reaction times and mental well-being. Of course, the converse of this is that less sleep duration manifests in poor exercise performance and functional limitation, especially in older women. One study of 2,800 women demonstrated that poor sleep was linked to slower walking, lower grip strength, and greater difficulty performing independent activities.

Cognitive Function and Sleep

According to Dr. Daniel Amen, MD, author of Use Your Brain to Change Your Age (2012), sleep deprivation leads to cognitive decline. Researchers at Reed Army Institute of Research and the University of Pennsylvania have demonstrated that chronically getting less than eight hours of sleep is associated with cognitive decline.

Sleep deprivation leads to what we fear the most as we age: cognitive decline. Worst still, sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, double a person’s risk for Alzheimer’s Disease. Amen says one of the fastest ways to age is lack of sleep. He says people getting six or fewer hours of sleep have lower blood flow to the brain causing lower level functioning.

Why You Need Sleep

Good sleep also keeps healthy bacteria in your gut, which is integral to overall health and immune function, and it even impacts your skin. Sleep deprivation is, perhaps, most noticeable on the faces of those who haven’t slept well or enough. As Amen notes, “Women who are deprived of sleep have disturbed skin-barrier function, greater water loss from the skin, and highly inflammatory chemicals in circulation.”

The Importance of Sleep

As you can see, the importance of sleep should not be minimized. Yet, we live in a culture where quality rest is often the first thing to go. How many of us have pulled a late night at the office and then gotten up at the crack of dawn to fit in a workout? Without sufficient rest, however, all of our best-laid efforts will contribute to exhaustion. Instead, it’s time to start taking sleep seriously.

Are you ready to reclaim your youth, vibrancy, and best body at 50+? Great! I’m here to help.
Access my free video training now to jumpstart your journey into the Age Well System. Or book a complimentary phone call to discuss your fitness goals and how we can work together to achieve them.