Sleep is something we often don’t get enough of, but its essential to our health and wellbeing. Poor sleep can cause havoc not only on our physical health, but our mental health too. A good nights sleep is definitely something that we should prioritising.

Easier said than done - i know….but read below to see some of the reasons why it’s so important.

Brain function - when we don't get enough sleep our memory is impaired, we don't think as ‘quickly’ or rationally as we should. It’s also harder to learn new information when we are sleep deprived.

Keeps our hearts healthy - when we sleep our blood pressure reduces giving our hearts and blood vessels a little rest. Studies show poor sleep can make you at greater risk for heart attacks or strokes.

Improves our immune system function - sleep boosts the effectiveness of our immune systems T-cells. T-cells are a type of white blood cells that recognise bacteria or viruses when they enter the body.

Poor sleep can lead to weight gain - if you are working out hard in the gym, eating well and still not achieving results you might not be getting enough sleep.

A good nights sleep can help with stress levels - when are bodies are feeling tired and overworked, this can cause an increase in cortisol (our stress hormone) The brain chemicals connected with deep sleep are the same ones that tell our body to stop releasing cortisol. By giving your body a restful night, you are reliving it from elevated cortisol levels.

Sleep can help you recover from your workout - When we sleep our pituitary gland releases human growth hormone. This is essential for repair and growth in our body.