8 Things Your Mind & Body Are Doing While You Sleep
Your Body
Temperature Drops Significantly
Toxins are
Cleansed
You Lose Weight
You Dream
You Get Taller
You May Jerk
Involuntarily
Your Skin is
Boosted
You Wake Up –
Often
Final Thoughts
You are probably well aware
that your body requires sleep every night – ideally around seven to eight hours
– to function properly and maintain your health, but you may not realize how
much goes on while you are sleeping. Read on to learn eight surprising things
your mind and body are doing while you snooze.
Your Body
Temperature Drops Significantly
During
sleep, your body temperature drops to reduce the rate at which it burns
calories and release melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that plays a key role in
your circadian rhythm.
Toxins are
Cleansed
When
at rest, the body filters out toxins and clears damaged molecules. These
processes allow the body and brain to rejuvenate. Without sufficient amounts of
sleep, the brain is unable
to purge toxins. This may lead to an increase is neurological deterioration.
You Lose Weight
Throughout the night, you lose weight due
to expelling humid air and losing water through
perspiration. As opposed to during the day, there is no consumption of food or
beverages to offset this effect. This leads to a decrease in pounds by the
morning. During sleep, your body also regulates hunger hormones. You are better
equipped to fight off junk food cravings if you got an appropriate amount of
sleep the night before.
You Dream
Everyone
knows the mind creates dreams during the night but you may be surprised to
learn how much you dream. We can spend as many as 2 hours dreaming each night.
You Get Taller
Your
body actually experiences an increase in height while you sleep. When you are
laying down, the discs in your spine decompress and rehydrate causing them to
get bigger and slightly boost your height.
You May Jerk
Involuntarily
Whether
you sleep alone or with a partner, for many people, falling asleep produces a
phenomenon where muscles suddenly contract involuntarily. This creates a sudden
jerk. In some cases, it may be noticeable enough to wake you back up.
Your Skin is
Boosted
Collagen – a protein that contributes to
youthful, healthy skin – is produced at an increased rate while you sleep. It
is stimulated by growth hormones that are released as you snooze. Higher levels
of collagen promote more resilient, vibrant skin.
You Wake Up –
Often
During
the night, we actually wake up numerous times – up to 15 – each hour. This
usually occurs when we are shifting to a different sleep stage. The periods of
wakefulness are usually so brief that we do not remember them.
Final Thoughts
Getting
an adequate amount of sleep is a crucial component of good health. Given all
the health benefits and the fascinating facts mentioned above, make a point to
get a solid chunk of sleep each night. To increase your odds of getting deep,
restful sleep, avoid caffeine too close to bedtime, keep your room dark, and
skip screen time prior to hitting the pillow.
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