Photo of Gugu Mhlungu

Rihanna would tell her younger self to sleep more. Why sleep is good for you

Speaking at her Diamond Ball recently, singer and business mogul Rihanna shared what she would tell her younger self to do more of.

Inside Rihanna’s Diamond Ball 

“Sleep,” she told E! News. “Because you’re not gonna get to do it in your twenties or your thirties, the way my thirties are starting out.”

In the age of often hearing “they sleep, we grind” and running on little sleep, it’s easy to forget why sleep is vital for your overall well being.

Here are some of the major benefits of a good night’s sleep according to Health.com

Improving your memory and creativity 

Restful sleep allows your mind to rest and sort out your memories which helps you to recall them better or make new ones and be creative. So if you want to do your best work, sleep!

Recovery 

Sleep is vital for the body’s own recovery process to take place (which includes recovery for your skin so it’s good for your glo up too). So not getting enough sleep means you are not giving your body enough time to recover and recharge which enables you to be healthier and (hopefully) happier.

4 reasons you shouldn’t be sleeping with make-up on 

Improve physical and athletic performance

According to health.com a Stanford University study found that college football players who tried to sleep at least 10 hours a night for seven to eight weeks improved their average sprint time and had less daytime fatigue and more stamina.

The results of this study reflect previous findings seen in tennis players and swimmers according to Health.com.

Helps kids (and you) do better at school 

According to Health.com, a 2009 study in the journal Pediatrics found that children ages seven and eight who got less than about eight hours of sleep a night were more likely to be hyperactive, inattentive, and impulsive. Sleep improves concentration which is important for better educational outcomes, and this applies to both children and adults.

Helps maintain a healthy weight 

Researchers at the University of Chicago found that dieters who were well rested lost more fat—56% of their weight loss—than those who were sleep deprived, who lost more muscle mass. (They shed similar amounts of total weight regardless of sleep.)

Anxiety and depression: 

A lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep can worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression. This includes not sleeping enough during the week and trying to ‘catch’ up on the weekend by sleeping more. Sufficient sleep is also important for feelings of well being.

Improve responses for safer driving 

We have all heard that driving tired is just as dangerous as driving drunk and it’s true. Lack of sleep impairs your reflexes meaning you won’t be able to respond as quickly as you should in an emergency so restful and sufficient sleep is also about your safety.

Is your pillowcase giving you wrinkles?

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