During week 2 of the challenge each night participants sleep 7-9 hours they can add a point to their weekly total.
Adequate sleep is important for many reasons. While sleeping your brain signals your body to release hormones that help decrease the risk for health conditions, manage your hunger level, maintain your immune system, and retain memory.
Individuals that usually slept less than six hours a night were 12 percent more likely to experience a premature death, according to researchers in the United Kingdom and Italy. While
the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states the lack of sleep can contribute to many chronic health problems including diabetes, heart disease, obesity and obstructive sleep apnea.
If you are not getting enough sleep you can find yourself hungrier. Poor sleep habits increase the body's energy needs. Your brain will release chemicals to signal hunger, which can lead to over-eating and possible weight gain.
While you are sleeping your immune system releases compounds called cytokines. Some cytokines have a protective effect on the immune system. A 2013 study found that the lack of sleep increased the amount of inflammatory compounds in a person's body. These compounds are associated with conditions like asthma and allergies. Researchers have found that participants' immune systems were affected by the lack of sleep.
Sleep is instrumental in protecting and strengthening your memory. People who are sleep-deprived have a harder time receiving information due to the brain's overworked neurons. Additionally they may tend to have impaired judgement and lose their ability to recall previous information.
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