If you feel a little guilty for ditching that 5am workout class in favour of a few extra zz’s, don’t. It's likely that getting more sleep will be more beneficial in the long run. Did you know: two thirds of Aussie adults report experiencing sleep issues on the regular? It’s time to take a look at why sleep is well worth prioritising with a list of some ways sleep positively impacts your health - including your workout goals (you’re welcome.) And with our sleep secret weapon Magnesi-zen hitting the shelves in a very short while, you’ll be better positioned for a great night’s rest in no time.
Sleep is integral for weight loss.
Not getting enough sleep can impact your metabolism in a number of ways and is scientifically proven to negatively impact weight loss and maintainance. This is due to the impact sleep has on hormones associated with appetite. When you sleep, leptin levels rise, suppressing your appetite. Conversely, becoming sleep deprived will increase your ghrelin levels, causing more hunger and boosting that pull you feel to indulge in a fatty, fast carb heavy treat.
Sleep is anti ageing.
Did you know: studies show that those who sleep well score significantly lower on clinical skin ageing measures? If you’re after plump, wrinkle free skin, a healthy skin barrier and overall better satisfaction with your appearance: sleep may be the missing ingredient in your skincare routine.
Sleep improves exercise performance.
In another instance of smarter not harder, research tells us that we’re able to focus better and perform to a higher standard in sports when well rested. This means that if workout performance, results and output are all important to you, it pays to be well rested when you hit the gym.
Sleep impacts inflammation and immunity.
Whether you struggle with autoimmune conditions or frequent colds due to suppressed immunity, sleep is a key component to regulate. Sleep has been proven to have a reciprocal relationship with immunity - the immune system’s signals can impact sleep and sleep itself can support healthy immune signals. Inflammation comes into this too - with those who are sleep deficient having a harder time managing inflammation in the body (think aches, pains and inflammatory conditions like eczema.)
Sleep changes your microbiome.
The gut-brain axis is a constant conversation between your head and your digestive system, so it makes sense that how reseted you are can affect your microbiome. Research has confirmed this, and as 95% of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut, this has huge implications for not only digestion, but for mental health too.
Sleep helps your body to cope with stress.
Research shows that improving your sleep quality will improve mental health. Not only can the brain function more efficiently, your ability to cope with the fall out experienced from making mistakes is improved. Poor sleep can also influence your body’s levels of the relaxing mineral - magnesium. This key nutrient is known to have a vicious circle relationship with stress, meaning the more stressed you are, the worse your sleep will be, and so on. PSA: If you struggle with stress and sleep, you will LOVE our new product, Magnesi-zen!
Sleep detoxifies the brain.
If thinking clearly and avoiding neurodegenerative diseases is your jam, stock up on rest. Cerebrospinal fluid is created during sleep, and this has been discovered to effectively detoxify your brain. As detox lovers ourselves, this is one benefit not to be missed!
Good sleep helps you learn faster and make less mistakes.
Did you know: Remembering tasks and reacting quickly are both very much linked to your rest? Sleep is where our memories are organised and catalogued, with the long term learnings being stored to reference in the future. This means that a good night’s rest will help you both think clearly in the moment and remember what you’ve learnt along the way. In a case of working smarter not harder - sleep deficiency has even been shown to impact work efficiency and error rate as much as showing up to work tipsy can.
Sleep protects your cardiac health.
This is especially important if you have a family history or are at risk of heart issues. Sleep has been proven to play an important role in cardiovascular protection. With heart disease being the most common cause of death for both men and women in Australia, this one makes getting that shut eye in, absolutely no joke. To double down on the benefits here, we recommend including a good quality magnesium supplement. A 2021 review showed that magnesium supplements can help lower high blood pressure levels (one of the key risk factors in heart disease.) Low on magnesium supps? We're pleased to say we might have a lead for you if you're in the market for one! 👀