From Zzzzz to A

With finals coming up, our days will get longer as we stay awake until the wee hours of the morning in order to cram for exams and complete, or begin, final projects. Although it is important to get good grades and prepare for finals, it is more important students ensure they are allowing enough time for adequate amounts of sleep. We all know that sleep is good for our bodies, but did you know it can also make you smarter and make dealing with the stress of finals week easier? The following list, is the top 10 benefits of a good night’s sleep according to Mark Smith, Ph. D.

1. Sleep Keeps your Heart Healthy- lack of sleep worsens your blood pressure, increasing risk of heart attack. Sleeping 7-9 hours per night will minimize this.

2. Sleep May Prevent Cancer-people who are exposed to light at night result in having their melatonin levels reduced. Melatonin is the hormone that makes a sleepy and protects against cancer.

3. Sleep reduces stress- lack of sleep causes your body to become stressed and in turn heightens your blood pressure resulting in an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

4. Sleep Reduces Inflammation- Inflammation is thought to be one of the causes of deterioration of your body as you age.

5. Makes you more alert- a good night’s sleep increases energy giving you the ability to be more active during the day. An increase in activity during the day will in turn prepare your body for another night of good sleep.

6. Bolsters your memory- when we sleep our brain is processing our day, so if we have been studying our brain will remember it and make connections to other things we have experienced and learned.

7. May help you lose weight-people who sleep less than 7 hours per night affects the balance of hormones in the body that affect your appetite.

8. Naps make you smarter-napping decreases your risk of heart disease and improves memory, cognitive brain function and mood.

9. Reduces risk for depression- lack of sleep reduces serotonin which is the pleasure hormone

10. Helps the body make repairs-Sleep produces protein and protein helps to repair damage caused throughout the day.