Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-bring throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

The way you feel while you are awake depends in part on what happens while you are sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.

  • Healthy Brain Function and Emotional Well-Being
    Sleep helps your brain work properly. While you're sleeping, your brain is preparing for the next day. Studies show that a good night's sleep improves learning. It helps you pay attention, make decisions, and be creative. Sleep deficiency, on the other hand, has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior. Children and teens who are sleep deficient may have problems getting along with others. they also may have problems paying attention, and they may get lower grades and feel stressed.
  • Physical Health
    Sleep plays an important role in your physical health. It is involved in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heat disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. sleep deficiency also increases the risk of obesity. It affects how your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that controls your blood glucose (sugar) level. Sleep deficiency results in a higher than normal blood sugar level, which may increase your risk for diabetes.
    Sleep also supports healthy growth and development. Deep sleep triggers the body to release the hormone that promotes normal growth in children and teens. This hormone also boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues in children, teens, and adults.
  • Daytime Performance and Safety
    Getting enough quality sleep at the right times helps you function well throughout the day. People who are sleep deficient are less productive at work and school. They take longer to finish tasks, have a slower reaction time, and make more mistakes.

There are many ways to make sure you are getting enough sleep. Here are a few resources to get you started!

 

Source: National Institutes of Health