The importance of getting healthy sleep

By pH health care professionals

Poor sleep quality and sleeping too long can cause inflammation in your body, according to a new study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

Inflammation is a hot topic these days, and for good reason! It has been shown to be connected to a wide variety of health concerns, illnesses and diseases. Inflammation may potentially contribute to or worsen:

• Allergies and sensitivities

• Anemia

• Arthritis

• Asthma

• Autism

• Autoimmune disorders

• Crohn’s disease

• Depression

• Gallbladder disease

• Heart attack and stroke

• Kidney diseases

• Pancreatitis

• And more

Sleep is a public health concern

The CDC says getting fewer than seven hours a night is associated with greater likelihoods of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, frequent mental distress and death. You may notice you have trouble concentrating, remembering things or paying bills on time. Sleeplessness can contribute to accidents on the road and in the workplace, therefore affecting everybody!

Though it seems more people are sleep-deprived, over-sleeping can be harmful too! Like anything with your health, going too extreme one way or the other usually is not a good idea.

Be proactive and begin to take inventory of your sleep quality and duration, and talk to a health care professional about any concerns.

For more ways to get better sleep, read our prior posts here, here, here, here and here!

Enjoy Your Healthy Life!