4 Ways Quality Sleep Supports Healthy Aging

Source: http://www.sonima.com/meditation/mindful-living/sleep-and-aging/

We know that getting a good night’s rest helps us feel better in the morning, but what may be even more important is how consistent sleep habits might predict future health. From smoother, glowing skin to a sharper mind and a healthier heart, mounting research shows that quality rest can help us all age a little more gracefully. Here’s how.

Regular Sleep Reduces Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

Those planning on powering through early adulthood and middle age with little sleep and resting in old age might want to take particular notice. One recent review from Baylor University examining decades of data, suggests that getting good sleep in middle age and young adulthood protects against age-related cognitive decline during senior years.

Deep sleep plays an important role in memory, and research shows that missing out on rest can contribute to a build up of beta-amyloid protein in the brain, associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In middle to older age, continuing to practice good habits is further associated with healthy brain function and reducing risk of dementia.

Deep Sleep Protects Skin Against Damage and Aging

During sleep, our bodies repair and renew at a cellular level. For example, growth hormone peaks during deep sleep, which plays an important role in aging and metabolism. Even a single night of sleep deprivation can affect how attractive and healthy we appear to other people.

A study conducted by Est…

What do you think?

comments