Importance of rest

Adequate sleep is a basic need for our organism. There are many benefits attributed to rest, so we must promote a life routine based on organizational habits that allow us to enjoy enough time to perform our daily tasks and rest properly. A person's state of health and the quality of his or her sleep are closely related, because lack of sleep is one of the most common risk factors for the appearance of a large number of diseases that threaten our state of health and quality of life.

Sleep not only impacts our mood and psychological well-being, but also helps us to strengthen and repair our body to prevent a number of diseases that can be fatal to our health. Lack of rest affects your whole body, the damage produced by maintaining this practice over time can become irreparable once certain chronic diseases occur. The best way to avoid health complications is to eliminate the risk factors attributed to them. Avoiding tobacco, alcohol and other toxic substances, linking us to physical activity and adequate rest are primary measures in dealing with these diseases.

During the development of this guide we will be addressing some of the basic elements that revolve around rest and the benefits it brings to our body.

General benefits of rest

There are many benefits attributed to rest, but in general we will mention some of the most important ones. When we get enough rest, our body takes advantage of it to repair the damage it has suffered during the day, an improvement in our memory and ability to concentrate is evident.

The immune system is strengthened once we have rested, so we will be prepared to face viruses and bacteria more easily. Blood pressure decreases, thus benefiting the normal functioning of our cardiovascular system. Restful sleep reduces inflammation in the body and helps us to recover the energy we have expended.

One of the most notable physical benefits of sleeping well is in the control of our body weight, where the metabolism is regulated and appetite decreases, it also prevents excess glycogen secretion in response to stress signals, thus preventing a possible development of insulin resistance or diabetes.

Strategies for better sleep

One of the basic strategies to sleep better is to avoid screens or electronic devices such as cell phones or televisions before going to sleep. The light emitted by these devices acts as a great stimulant for our brain, making it difficult to acquire sleep and relax the body. The light and noise coming from the outside also threatens the quality of our sleep, so it is important that we properly condition our room.

Avoid eating large amounts of food before going to sleep so as not to put our digestive system to work while we rest. Increase the level of daily physical activity to ensure adequate energy expenditure to allow you to arrive tired at night. Stay away from stimulants such as coffee or energy drinks, these can prevent you from falling asleep or affect the quality of your sleep.

Try to create rest routines that are sustainable over time. This requires a strict organization of sleep times, going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. Naps during the day should not be excessively long or you will not manage to arrive exhausted at night, thus preventing you from sleeping for a prolonged period of time.