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If you've ever needed a reason to get into bed early, keep reading. Today, retired compounding pharmacist and women's healthcare expert Marla Ahlgrimm offers up 10 excuses to get a little extra shut-eye as a woman.
Sleep Supports Hormonal Balance
According to Marla Ahlgrimm, sleep helps regulate hormones that affect everything from menstruation to appetite and stress. Not getting enough sleep can disrupt your body's estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and insulin regulation.
Sleep Protects Your Heart
Women who get adequate sleep throughout their lifetime tend to have a lower risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. Marla Ahlgrimm explains that women need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night for the best heart protection.
Sleep Improves Your Mental Health
Quality sleep reduces the risk of anxiety, depression, irritability, and mood swings. Women are much more likely to experience all of these than their male counterparts, making sleep especially important to the fairer sex.
Sleep Helps You Maintain A Healthy Weight
Marla Ahlgrimm notes that sleep influences the hormones that control hunger and fullness. Insufficient sleep can increase cravings, especially for sweets, which can lead to overeating and weight gain.
Sleep Strengthens Your Immune System
While scientists don't fully understand why we sleep, one thing is certain, and that is that the sleeping hours are when our body repairs damage and fights infections most effectively. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, while you sleep, the body is also busy producing immune cells and proteins that boost your immune system and help you fight off illnesses you may not even know you're about to experience.
Sleep Supports Bone Health
Once we reach the age of perimenopause, we are at a greater risk of osteoporosis. However, Marla Ahlgrimm explains that sleep plays a role in bone remodeling and repair, so regularly getting enough rest during the overnight hours may reduce a woman's risk of osteoporosis.
Sleep Enhances Cognitive Function
Chronic sleep deprivation can impair memory, concentration, decision-making, problem-solving, and even a person's ability to learn. Getting enough sleep can combat these issues. It helps women maintain a clearer mind, whether they are in high school, college, or well past retirement.
Sleep Promotes Healthy Aging
Marla Ahlgrimm has already explained that the overnight hours are when the body goes into repair mode. But this is also pertinent for those of us looking to maintain our youthful appearance. Sleep allows your skin to regenerate at the cellular level while also removing waste products from the brain.
Sleep Improves Blood Sugar Regulation
Chronic sleep loss can increase a woman's risk of insulin-resistant Type 2 diabetes. Marla Ahlgrimm notes that sleep helps the body use insulin efficiently and effectively.
Sleep Supports Reproductive Health
For women, sleep is not simply a period of rest. It is the time when our bodies go into hyperdrive, repairing and regulating all aspects of our health from the inside out. Marla Ahlgrimm says that women, especially, should focus on prioritizing sleep to help with everything from mental awareness to physical appearance and everything in between.
