What are the Health Benefits of Getting Enough Sleep?

Sleeping is very important to every person may it be an adult or a kid. It’s recommended for adults that they take at least eight hours sleep for a good health.

Sleep can be defined as a natural state that the human mind and body get some rest. The eyes are usually closed and the consciousness partly or completely lost meaning that the body will decrease its movement and responsiveness to most of the stimuli.

Following are the health benefits of getting enough sleep. Some of the benefits may surprise you.

1. Less calorie intake

There is increased chance that you eat more when awake for many hours, since we tend to eat as long as we stay awake. This leads to increase in the total calories consumed and end up becoming overweight due to the increased calorie intake.

2. Reduced chance of heart complications

When one gets enough sleep, they reduce their blood pressure. This will impact their heart as the body will have fewer activities, hence less requirement of energy. People who sleep less than four hours increase the chances of having heart complications by 45%.

3. Better decision-making

Having enough sleep is vital for your body reaction to some decision-making situations. When you don’t sleep enough, your body’s ability to process information and to make quick decisions is reduced.

4. Less sensitivity to pain

People who have enough sleep are less sensitive to pain. When you don’t get enough sleep, it can interfere with the pain relief process. In fact, when you feel some pain, sleeping can act as a way to relieving it.

5. Reduces emotional irritation

When you get enough sleep, you have less chances of being emotionally volatile or being easily irritated. Lack of sleep causes your brain to amplify negative emotions even from small things that normally can be overlooked such as an interruption.

 6. Stronger immune system

When you get enough sleep, your immune system will be able to fight off some diseases such as the cold. Research has shown that people who get more than seven hours’ sleep have reduced chances of getting cold and other diseases.

7. Improved vision

The body gets tired and the eyes cannot see clearly. Getting enough sleep reduces the chances of making vision errors or even hallucinations.

8. Few mistakes made

Most mistakes are made by people who sleep less that than those who sleep enough. The mistakes may range from typos to more dangerous like road accidents which usually happens when people drive who are deprived of sleep.

9. Improves learning

When you sleep, you refresh your brain increasing its capability to learn for both kids and adult. The brain learns easily when it’s fresh.

10. Improved productivity

 With enough sleep, it’s easy to concentrate on what you are doing and be focused. This makes you more productive and less distracted.

11. Increased Muscle building

 Without sleep, muscle-building is reduced. That’s why sleep is a requirement in fitness magazines and forums.

12. Improved Hormone secretion

Research has shown that the hormone secretion happens during low wave sleep. This means that with enough sleep will ensure that enough growth hormone is secreted.

13. Healthy skin development

Getting sleep helps in reducing many health complications. With sleep, the skin is supplied with enough nutrient leaving it healthy.

14. Better mood

Enough sleep will improve your mood and prevent you from suffering depression and anxiety.

 In conclusion, getting enough sleep is very important to your health. Taking at least 8 hours’ sleep improve the things that your body can do. It also ensures that you don’t overwork your body, leaving it weak in the process. Make it a routine to rest and the improvement will be evident.

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10 Sports that you love will help you get in shape

Bored of hitting the gym every day this summer? Or Whether you’ve been crazy busy at work, got caught up in a daily routine, put on a couple kilos or just simply lost your motivation to exercise, you might feel the need to get back into shape and lead a healthy lifestyle again so you can rock your abs when you hit the beach next time.

Getting fit and healthy is about building good habits and keeping your energy levels balanced, in other words putting the right foods and drinks in your body then burning those calories off through physical activity.

Fitness can be achieved through fun sports too. There are several fun sports that can help you achieve great health and fitness. We will share a list of top 10 sports you can play to maintain your fitness.

Tennis: The health benefits of playing tennis are often lost when compared to more traditional physical activities like running, swimming and cycling. However, many folks might not realize that playing tennis for one hour burns about 600 calories, making it as effective as jogging or an indoor cycling class. And the beauty of tennis is that it challenges your mind and your body.

 

The tactical aspect of the game keeps your mind occupied while your body gets a good workout—the short term goals of reaching that little yellow ball in time makes it a complex sport full of small rewards and limitless challenges.

 

Football: Football or soccer is one of the best sports, as it engages players to run fast and slow - with sudden balance shifts. This helps to build stamina and works for interval training too. Being a continuous game, it is extremely effective for fitness and cardiovascular health.

Various benefits of playing football are it is generally a non-contact sport, teaches coordination, promotes teamwork and sharing, teaches you to ‘think on the run’, helps to increase skills in concentration, persistence and self-discipline, is a great way to meet people and exercise with friends, can provide an opportunity to increase your confidence and self-esteem, and help to reduce anxiety, requires very little equipment so it can be played in the backyard or park, is relatively easy to learn, so beginners can easily join in the fun and play basic soccer for recreation and is an international sport.               

 

Cricket: Like most sports, cricket helps you to develop muscles and burn calories while improving your coordination and stamina. A physically active game, cricket requires pitching the ball, hitting the ball with the long, flat bat, sprinting from wicket to wicket and throwing and catching in the field.

Strong, fast legs help players to score runs. Upper body strength lends to improved throwing and hitting the ball. And hand-eye coordination, along with flexibility, helps you to catch and keep the ball in play
One of the benefits of playing sports is making new friends and enjoying the camaraderie of your teammates. Cricket matches can last several hours, and within that time you must work with your team in a cooperative manner to develop and initiate game strategies and win the match. Celebrating wins and commiserating losses are more fun when done with your friends.Benefits: Helps in endurance, stamina, balance and co-ordination and physical fitness. It also improves in hand-eye co-ordination.

 

Badminton: It is a well-known fact that indulging in aerobic sports activity like badminton gives multiple health benefits and promotes longevity. In fact it has been found that playing badminton till you get an increase in heart rate or mild breathlessness regularly in middle age lowers the risk of death by about 23% in the subsequent 20 years and improves longevity by at least 2 years. The optimal health benefits are achieved by playing badminton for at least 30 minutes a day after adequate warm up.

 

 The main health benefit is reduction of bad cholesterol and increase in good cholesterol with regular badminton play. In our body, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) are bad cholesterols and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the only good cholesterol.

 Playing badminton regularly increases the levels of HDL good cholesterol while decreasing the levels of bad cholesterols. As bad cholesterols decrease the size of blood vessels promoting heart attacks and strokes, reduction in their levels translates into multiple health benefits for the individual.

  Playing regular badminton conditions the body so that the basal heart rate drops a few beats per minute and blood pressure is reduced. Both these effects are helpful in hypertensive individuals. It may help them to ward off their hypertension without medicines and even if they are needed, only fewer amounts are required.

 Another particular health benefit of playing regular badminton is protection from heart disease, especially heart attacks. Playing badminton conditions and strengthens the heart muscle besides reducing hypertension and keeping blood vessels from clogging as we have seen earlier. Even people with pre-existing heart disease can benefit by playing badminton within their endurance levels under medical supervision and advice.

 

 Regular indulgence in badminton helps overweight people to reduce their weight and attain optimal weight for their height and age. This effect is due to the excess calories burnt during playing badminton which prevents them from accumulating as fat and increasing the individual's weight.

 Moreover, the existing fat deposits are also mobilized to produce energy while playing badminton. But for achieving optimal weight loss, it has to be combined with diet modification as well.

 Additional health benefit of playing regular badminton is reduced incidence of cancers like cancer of the large bowel and cancer of breast.

 Finally, playing badminton keeps you feeling well, strong, motivated, enthusiastic and young. It helps to ward off depression, anxiety, stress and increase self-esteem. It also helps in enjoying a better sleep in the night, thereby minimizing the incidence of pre-existing illnesses getting aggravated due to lack of sleep.

 

 Volleyball is one of the best sports workouts. Playing volleyball is a healthy way to get some exercise. Playing volleyball on a regular basis is one way to increase your physical activity level, which will help you get fit and toned, as well as healthy and energetic.

 

Volleyball requires you to pay close attention to the ball so that you can use your arms and hands to come into contact with the fast-moving volleyball in order to send it flying over the net. Playing volleyball requires that you work with a team to score points and keep the other team from winning. This requires that you work well with your team and gives you valuable opportunities to interact socially with friends and acquaintances.

 

Basketball: Basketball is a fast moving game that involves a lot of variety, including shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding, defence and much more. Basketball involves a lot of starting and stopping. While not renowned as an aerobic sport, it is still a great workout that can help you burn calories (an hour of basketball can burn 630–750 calories), build endurance, improve balance and coordination, develop concentration and self-discipline, build up muscle.

 

As well as being a great way to stay fit, basketball can also: help you to make new friends and see them regularly teach you about being a good team player, be played by people of all ages and all abilities, be played all year round because it’s usually an indoor sport, be a fun game that kids of all levels and ages can enjoy, be practiced alone – all you need is a ball and a hoop (and you can find a hoop in most local parks and school grounds), be played and enjoyed with as few as two people (although official games require 10 players).

 

Cycling: Cycling is a healthy, low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from young children to older adults. It is also fun, cheap and good for the environment.

 

It only takes two to four hours a week to achieve a general improvement to your health. Cycling is:

•Low impact – it causes less strain and injuries than most other forms of exercise.

•A good muscle workout – cycling uses all of the major muscle groups as you pedal.

•Easy – unlike some other sports, cycling does not require high levels of physical skill. Most people know how to ride a bike and, once you learn, you don’t forget.

•Good for strength and stamina – cycling increases stamina, strength and aerobic fitness.

•As intense as you want – cycling can be done at very low intensity to begin with, if recovering from injury or illness, but can be built up to a demanding physical workout.

•A fun way to get fit – the adventure and buzz you get from coasting down hills and being outdoors means you are more likely to continue to cycle regularly, compared to other physical activities that keep you indoors or require special times or places.

•Time-efficient – as a mode of transport, cycling replaces sedentary (sitting) time spent driving motor vehicles or using trams, trains or buses with healthy exercise

 

Cycling is mainly an aerobic activity, which means that your heart, blood vessels and lungs all get a workout. You will breathe deeper, perspire and experience increased body temperature, which will improve your overall fitness level.

 

The health benefits of regular cycling include:

•increased cardiovascular fitness

•increased muscle strength and flexibility

•improved joint mobility

•decreased stress levels

•improved posture and coordination                           

•strengthened bones

•decreased body fat levels

•prevention or management of disease

•reduced anxiety and depression

 

Swimming: Swimming is the best way to help your body cool down during summer. Since, swimming involves your entire body; it is the best full-body workout. It helps you to relax, builds endurance, tones your muscles, maintains a healthy weight and improves flexibility.

 

Swimming is a great workout because you need to move your whole body against the resistance of the water. Swimming is a good all-round activity because it:

•keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body

•builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness

•helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs

•tones muscles and builds strength

•provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all of your muscles are used during swimming.

 

Swimming has many other benefits including:

•being a relaxing and peaceful form of exercise

•alleviating stress

•improving coordination, balance and posture

•improving flexibility

•providing good low-impact therapy for some injuries and conditions

•providing a pleasant way to cool down on a hot day

•being available in many places – you can swim in swimming pools, beaches, lakes, dams and rivers.

 

Hiking: Hiking is a good recreational activity. It helps to improve muscular fitness, reduce depression, maintains healthy weight and lubricates your joints well. So, plan a trek this weekend to enjoy a peaceful traffic-less zone.

 

Categorized as an aerobic exercise, hiking can help improve:

•Cardiorespiratory fitness including heart, lungs and blood vessels

•Muscle strength

•Bone density (or slow its loss)

•Sleep quality

•Weight control. On average hiking burns up about 250 calories an hour—and people who lose weight through hiking or walking generally maintain that loss and continue to lose, while those who depend on diets tend to gain weight back.

 

Tramping through the forest can also help reduce your risk for:

•Heart disease and stroke

•High blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes

•High cholesterol and triglycerides

•Colon, breast, lung and endometrial cancers

•Depression (if so afflicted)

•Early death (Studies have shown that someone who is active for seven hours a week has a 40 percent lower chance of dying early than someone active for less than 30 minutes a week.)

•Negative effects of osteoporosis and arthritis

•Tension and anxiety

 

Dancing: Dance is an amazingly fun activity. It allows people to enjoy, socialise and develop creative skills. Dancing for 30 minutes helps to keep the body active, helps to improve strength and flexibility, improves posture and balance, reduces stress levels and burns calories.

 

There are many forms of dance, from ballroom to barn dancing and disco to Morris dancing. Dance has always been a part of human culture, rituals and celebrations. Today, most dancing is about recreation and self-expression, although it can also be done as a competitive activity. Dancing is an enjoyable way to be more physically active and stay fit.

 

Dancing can be a way to stay fit for people of all ages, shapes and sizes. It has a wide range of physical and mental benefits including:

•improved condition of your heart and lungs

•increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness

•increased aerobic fitness

•improved muscle tone and strength

•weight management

•stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis

•better coordination, agility and flexibility

•improved balance and spatial awareness

•increased physical confidence

•improved mental functioning

•improved general and psychological wellbeing

•greater self-confidence and self-esteem

•better social skills.

 

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Food that will help you lose weight

Not all calories are created equal. Different foods go through different metabolic pathways in the body. They can have vastly different effects on hunger, hormones and how many calories we burn.

If you want to start feeling more energetic and healthy, shedding extra pounds is likely on your to-do list. You may have already started by eliminating high-calorie, high-sugar, and high-fat processed foods and snacks from your grocery shopping. But some foods made for weight loss can leave you starving — and that's not the goal. Instead, add these foods that will help you lose weight but also taste great and keep you full.

Whole Eggs

 Once feared for being high in cholesterol, whole eggs have been making a comeback. New studies show that they don't adversely affect blood cholesterol and don't cause heart attacks but they are among the best foods you can eat if you need to lose weight. They're high in protein, healthy fats, and can make you feel full with a very low amount of calories. Eggs are also incredibly nutrient dense and can help you get all the nutrients you need on a calorie restricted diet. Almost all the nutrients are found in the yolks, so don’t skip the yolk part unless you are getting yourself ready for a bodybuilding competition.

Beans

There are lots of reasons to put beans on your shopping list of foods for weight loss. First, beans are high in fiber, and any food high in fiber will be filling. Beans also stimulate the production of the gut hormone cholecystokinin (CCK), which is a natural appetite suppressant. They also tend to be high in protein and fiber, which are two nutrients that have been shown to lead to satiety. They also tend to contain some resistant starch. A veggie chili or a bean-based stew will fill you up without weighing you down.

 Cottage Cheese

Dairy products tend to be high in protein. One of the best ones is cottage cheese... calorie for calorie, it is mostly just protein with very little carbohydrate and fat. Eating plenty of cottage cheese is a great way to boost your protein intake. It is also very satiating, making you feel full with a relatively low amount of calories. Dairy products are also high in calcium, which has been shown to aid in the fat burning process.

Avocados

Avocados are a unique type of fruit. Whereas most fruit is high in carbs, avocados are loaded with healthy fats. They are particularly high in monounsaturated oleic acid, the same type of fat found in olive oil. Despite being mostly fat, they also contain a lot of water, so they aren't as energy dense as you may think. Avocados are perfect as additions to salad, because studies show that the fats in them can increase the nutrient uptake from the vegetables. They also contain many important nutrients, including fiber and potassium.

Salmon

Salmon is a great source of protein. People on a low-calorie, high-protein diet have fewer food cravings throughout the day and didn't crave unhealthy snacks late at night. Protein-rich foods are filling foods because "protein is metabolized more slowly than fats or carbohydrates. Not only is salmon a good food for weight loss, but this cold-water fish is also an excellent source of heart-healthy fats known as omega-3's.

Nuts

Nuts can be super foods for weight loss if you control the amount you eat. Among the positives, nuts pack in protein and fiber, which makes them filling foods. But they're also high in fat, which translates to added calories. The fats in nuts, however, are healthy fats, "and we do need some fat in our diets, so healthy fats are the best choice,. Limit yourself to a handful of nuts — they're about 150 calories per ounce. Nuts consumption daily induces higher levels of serotonin, which is a hormone that can decrease appetite, than those who didn't eat nuts. Incorporate this weight loss-boosting food into your diet throughout the day. Thinly spread a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter on a piece of whole-wheat toast for breakfast and add a sprinkle of slivered almonds on steamed green beans at dinner.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is another chart topper on the list of smart foods for weight loss. It's a great choice because it has twice the protein and less sugar than most other yogurts. Greek yogurt is also a good source of calcium.

Grapefruit

One fruit that deserves to be highlighted is grapefruit, because its effects on weight control have been studied directly. Grapefruit group also helps reductions in insulin resistance, a metabolic abnormality that is implicated in various chronic diseases, eating half a grapefruit about a half hour before some of your daily meals may help you feel more satiated and eat fewer overall calories.

Water

Add weight-loss aid to the many benefits of drinking water. In fact, water should be a staple on your list of foods for weight loss. "Ideally you should drink a glass of water before you eat and between servings". And if you're drinking alcohol, he suggests having a glass of plain water between drinks. "Your intestines can only hold so much volume". "Water will fill you up quickly and prevent you from overdoing it on foods and drinks that don't help with weight loss." Also, some people overeat because they mistake thirst for hunger, but if you fill up on plenty of water and stay well-hydrated, you'll know that any hunger pangs you feel are for real.

 

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