Sleep Health

The benefits of good, regular sleep.

Benefits for your brain

When you’re asleep, your brain is getting you set up for the next day. Sleep helps your brain to consolidate what you’ve learnt during the day. Good sleep improves your focus and your creativity as well as your ability to make decisions.² However if you're sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change.²

Benefits for your body

Parts of your body repair themselves while you sleep, in particular, your heart and your blood vessels. Sleep also supports healthy growth and development. Deep sleep triggers the body to release the hormone that promotes normal growth in children and teens. This hormone also boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues in children, teens, and adults. Sleep also plays a role in puberty and fertility.²

Practice good sleep hygiene

Try these 4 tips to improve your sleep hygiene and enhance your sleep quality:

1. Make time for sleep. Plan your day so that there’s enough time for your sleep needs.
2. Follow a routine. Try and go to bed and wake up at the same time. Create a consistent ritual before bedtime.
3. Get comfy. Is your bed and mattress comfortable? Is your bedroom cool, quiet and dark? Investing in your bedroom environment is money well spent, after all, you do spend one-third of your life in bed!
4. Turn off those devices. Unplug and relax before you head for bed. Your body should associate bed with sleep. The blue light from screens can supress melatonin, your sleep hormone, making it difficult to fall asleep.

If you have concerns about your sleep health — consider it a sign that something might not be right. Take our online sleep assessment or book a home sleep test to see if your sleep problems may be a sign of sleep apnea.

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