Does sleep really keep you healthy?

April 22, 2020 / -- A recent article by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that getting enough sleep can actually help you maintain a healthier lifestyle.
with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting our quality of life, maintaining health should be a priority.
recommends that adults sleep at least seven hours a night, 9-12 hours for children aged 6-12 and 8-10 hours for 13-18 years old.
concluded that lack of sleep can lead to health problems such as diabetes -- insulin helps control blood sugar, and lack of sleep can reduce insulin production.
a healthy balance between insulin and glucose is key to avoiding type 2 diabetes.
adequate sleep, combined with proper nutrition and exercise, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
picture source: U.S. Air Force Photo Staff Sgt. Jordan Castelan Stress and Immunity - Lack of sleep increases stress hormones, prevents good hormones from functioning properly, and prevents the body from regaining its defenses against disease.
sleep improves our body's ability to fight the virus and allows us to eliminate it more quickly.
sleep increases white blood cells, which in turn increase our inflammation and may delay our recovery from disease.
helps remove brain toxins that we produce when we're awake.
cardiovascular disease -- due to lack of sleep, we tend to increase "bad" cholesterol, which occurs in the form of LDL.
these are "arterial obstructions" that block the smooth flow of blood.
not all studies are conclusive, but getting sleep reduces our ability to make "good" cholesterol, the artery's protector.
blood pressure drops during sleep, so limited sleep can lead to long periods of high blood pressure.
can lead to high blood pressure and more serious heart problems.
study shows that sleep-deprived children are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
sleep can help reduce behavioral problems and improve mental health.
, in addition to good nutrition and adequate exercise, we should all strive to improve our sleep habits, so that we can maintain physical and mental health.
() Reference: Does sleep really keep you healthy? How Sleep Habits Affect Healthy Weight.