You're never too old for a good night's sleep!

No matter how old you are, sleep is incredibly important. Not only does sleep help you feel alert and rested, it is also an essential part of your overall health. At our long-term care facility in Elk Horn, we understand how important sleep is for your health, and that's why we've come up with the following list of the benefits of sleep:

#1. It promotes a healthy heart.  

Did you know that sleep deprivation is linked to a wide variety of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart attacks and heart disease? Part of the reason for this is that sleep actually helps to repair and heal the blood vessels and the heart. The other reason for this is that sleep deprivation leads to a surge of the stress hormone, cortisol, which causes the heart to work harder than it should.

#2.  It helps to prevent weight gain.

While getting good sleep won't necessarily help you lose weight, it can help prevent weight gain. Do you notice that you feel hungrier when you don't get enough sleep? That's because, when you are deprived of sleep, the hormone that stimulates appetite, ghrelin, is released.

#3. It boosts your immune system.

If you want to avoid the flu and the common cold, a great way to do so is by getting enough sleep at night. One study even found that people who got eight hours of sleep rather than seven were three times less likely to get sick! These are just a few of the many incredible benefits that are associated with proper sleep. Stay tuned for our next blog to learn tips for better sleep.