Year In Review: 11 New Reasons To Get A Good Night's Sleep

It's a well-documented issue: Experts like The National Sleep Foundation recommend adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, but data suggests that large numbers of American adults are falling way short of that, clocking six hours or less per day. The reasons for changing that are myriad. Lack of sleep has been tied to serious problems, like diabetes, obesity and accidents, prompting the Centers for Disease Control to say that sleep is "increasingly recognized as important to public health."

If that's not enough to convince you to make sleep a priority, try this -- our list of 11 new reasons that emerged in 2011 showing exactly how important sleep is for your health. Take a look, then take a moment (or more) to contemplate how you can better work those crucial resting hours into your day-to-day routine. It's so worth it.

Comments

[Billy Fritts]

10:42 PM on 01/02/2012

The best way i found to get a good nights sleep was through Jesus Christ--I accepted him as my savior and he gave me peace of mind--I can lay in bed and pray on his name--The peace comes in and i go to sleep--Praise the name of Jesus Christ--

[Tom Hendricks]

11:41 AM on 01/02/2012

But why does sleep do all this and more? New ideas suggest that sleep may be a time when the body shuts down to support immunity.
Day is when we are awake, is for eating and taking in nurturing.
Night is when we are asleep, is a major shift from taking in nurturing, to starting up a daily immune system to protect the body. We wake and repeat the daily cycle. Google immune system + sleep for more support.

[CHUXKLES]

08:20 PM on 01/01/2012

I firmly believe sleep is of the utmost importance! If ObieDoozie slept more our country would still be ours!!!

[homerc85]

11:57 PM on 01/01/2012

Stop talking and go to sleep.

[CHUXKLES]

05:59 AM on 01/02/2012

Nite JohnBoy...

[Mark Helfgott]

07:08 PM on 01/01/2012

This story really helps. As I was reading it it put me to sleep.

[keedyk87]

02:08 PM on 01/01/2012

One thing I have noticed is that the less I weigh or eat the less sleep I need.

[sam520]

01:30 PM on 01/01/2012

Perhaps it's the fibromyalgia that keeping the women awake..............chicken or egg, which causes which?

[Joann Bradford]

12:24 PM on 01/01/2012

drink a snuff glass of wine before going to bed works for me

[simzillyjp]

04:16 PM on 01/01/2012

A huff & puff help even better than wine. And no running to the bathroom later either.

[mark121029]

10:19 AM on 01/01/2012

they just learned these things in 2011...what a bunch of crap!!

[Mac Road]

09:57 AM on 01/01/2012

All these articles tell me to sleep more. What if you cannot sleep? I never sleep more than a hour in a row and most nights not even that. I toss and turn all night. The sheets blankets and pillowcases are most of the time on the floor when I get up in the mornings. My husband says it is like I am on a rotisserie I constantlly turn all night. I have tried everything from Ambien to Lunesta to teas, melatonin, everything. I do not drink caffeine. For a couple of years I took a amitriptyline, a flexarile and a darvocet every night and it help with the tossing and turnning and the soreness caused by the tossing and turning but did not help with the sleep. If anyone has a suggestion I would love to have 8 hours sleep in a row. I have been like this for about 12 years and I am tired.

[cree1997]

05:02 PM on 01/01/2012

welcome to my world, wonder what the hell is doing that to us. I just love it when my husband says you need some sleep, well duh, how about you tell me how to do that.

[Mac Road]

07:30 PM on 01/01/2012

I do not know what the hell is doing this. I never knew anyone else that had this problem. I do not feel so alone now. What I would give for a nights sleep.

[gaurdian]

11:25 PM on 01/01/2012

I used to sleep approx 4 hrs every 2nd day this went on for years . I drink coffee now for some reason it has a reverse affect on me it calms me down . I also use cds one being nature the other sounds of whales and the third flutes they basically hypnotize me . I am a contractor with high energy this sure beats vibrating when i am sitting still.

[Mac Road]

11:57 PM on 01/01/2012

Wish I could drink coffee again. And I tried a running water tape.I liked it but my husband said it made him get up to go to the bathroom to much.lol I do have a spanish guitar cd that is very relaxing.

[mojones235]

07:57 PM on 12/30/2011

give it some time .the doctors will come out with some new study saying the opposite ..

[modelaford]

06:50 PM on 12/30/2011

They forgot a big one....there are millions of people who suffer chronic daily migraines...many are triggered by bad sleeping patterns. Now if only I could fall asleep and stay asleep...zzzzzzzz

[blair lieber]

06:06 PM on 12/30/2011

getting enough sleep is also the base of healthy living and weight loss. i'm documenting my journey towards losing weight, and completing my first triathlon. it's a riduculous journey, but come walk with me and i'll tell you all about. www.whatifoundwhilewalkingaround.com the latest post is great if you are hosting a NYE party and need good low cal drink options!

[Chuck Bluestein]

04:17 PM on 12/30/2011

These are all very good reasons to get plenty of sleep. But you missed one important one. Let me make sure that I did not miss it. You covered sex, blood pressure, obesity, marriage, diabetes, learning, safety, costly, ethical, fibromyalgia and serious problems. But getting more sleep greatly reduces your chances of getting cold and flu because it helps your immune system. http://bit.ly/rIJ25s Now they have never done a study with cancer and sleep like they have with colds and flu and sleep, but if they did I bet it would show that it reduces your chances of getting cancer.

Sleep helps the immune system and a stronger immune system reduces your chance of getting cancer or helps your body to fight off cancer if you do get it. Also a stronger immune system would help you fight off infectious disease also.

[rrnaiman]

03:10 PM on 12/30/2011

In addition to all of these functional reasons to sleep, let's remember one more compelling reason. Sleep is one of life's greatest pleasures. It is incomparably peaceful, serenely sensual and deeply spiritual. One of the most commonly overlooked recommendations for healing sleep difficulties is learning to fall in love with sleep again.