If you often suffer from monthly period cramps, try to clock in more Zs. In a study done in Georgia, it was found that a lack of sleep made period cramps worse, as less serotonin is produced when we don’t sleep enough, resulting to a lower threshold for pain. 

Here’s something we can’t complain about. Sleeping more can indeed help you burn calories. According to a study from the American Journal of Clincial Nutrition, normal sleepers burned more calories after a meal as compared to sleep-deprived people.

So don’t put in hours in the gym, but hit the sack an hour or two earlier for the sake of your waistline! 

The common answer to why you’re having a bad day could simply be that you did not sleep enough.

A lack of sleep causes the emotion centre of the brain, known as the amygdala to become more sensitive, hence sleep-deprived people often react more negatively to situations. 

Your best self will definitely arise from a well-rested you. When we are sleep-deprived, we lose focus, attention and vigilance. So skip the all-nighters and clock in more hours of sleep for a more productive day ahead.

Even with excessive amounts of vitamins, you are still likely to fall sick if you’re not sleeping enough. Our bodies stop reacting to vaccinations when we suffer from a lack of sleep, similar to how we always sleep to feel better after our medication when we’re feeling under the weather. 

Beauty sleep is indeed a real thing. When we are sleep deprived, our skin will suffer from inflammation and dehydration. Increased stress hormones can also arise which worsens any inflammatory skin conditions like acne.

Try getting a full night’s sleep and you might see a difference to how you approach the everyday stress in your life. Even with the world weighing down on your shoulders, a well rested night could definitely make anything better. 

When we’re running on minimal sleep, anything can seem more risky and daunting to attempt. With more sleep hours clocked in, you could be more willing to try out adventurous things in your life, be it in your work or downtime.

Text: Janice Sim/Shape