21 February 2020

Aside from a healthy diet and exercise, we also need good sleep in order to have good health.

Sleep plays a significant role in our health. But still, there are reasons why we can’t sleep well or can’t go to bed early; deadlines, going out for supper, or watching soccer matches. This is a prevalent problem in Malaysia, where a survey shows that 90% of Malaysians suffer from sleep problems. Read on to find out what a good night’s rest does for you.

So, what are the benefits of good sleep?

1. Improves your memory
Memory consolidation happens in our brain when we sleep. This is the time when memories, feelings, and moments of our lives are recorded and consolidated. The better the sleep quality, the better the memory capability.

2. Accelerate your body’s metabolism
Our glucose metabolism increases during the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep stage which helps in accelerating the rate of calorie-burn. This simply means that the longer you sleep, the more calories you can potentially burn. However, oversleeping can impact and slow down our metabolism.

3. Help control your body weight
When we sleep at night, our calorie needs will decrease due to our minimum physical movements. However, when we are lacking in sleep, the brain will reduce the level of leptin (the hormone that makes us feel full). Thus, we will feel hungry easily during those late nights and result in making us reach out for a snack, which can eventually lead to weight gain and increase the likelihood of obesity if taken excessively. One of the important factors leading to weight gain is the choice of foods and snacks consumed especially given the numerous options in Malaysia.

With the ever-increasing rate of child obesity in Malaysia, we at Sun Life Malaysia believe that intervention is vital to prevent this from deteriorating further in line with our purpose to help people live healthier lives. We uphold this value by educating Malaysians through awareness campaigns, community fitness events and health screenings. Watch how we helped Malaysians understand the effects of their lifestyle behaviour towards their children here.

4. Increase immune system
Small proteins called cytokines are released when we sleep. Cytokines are important for our immune system by helping to fight against inflammation and infection. If we have insufficient sleep, we will not have enough cytokines to protect us from bad bacteria.

5. Cell regeneration
Our body cells regenerate when we sleep. That’s why we feel more energised and ready to rock the day in the morning after getting quality sleep which optimises cell regeneration.

Unfortunately, we tend to have sleep deprivation these days due to job demands, gadgets, social media, stress, and anxiety among the main causes. To experience better sleep, try to lower your caffeine consumption, make the bed more comfortable, and do regular exercises that will help for the long term.

Health for life. There is nothing more important than our good health. Talk to our advisor today to find out how to live life healthier.