Beauty sleep (n): Sleep considered to be sufficient to keep one looking young and beautiful. [oxford dictionary]. There you have it, the definition of beauty sleep. But the question that comes to our mind is are we sleeping sufficient enough. Most of us love the thought of hitting the sack; lying in our comforts and wishing for that inevitable moment when our eyes feel heavy and then go into a slumber. Sometimes, there is that unsatisfactory feeling that we haven't slept enough or we need more sleep so that I feel fresh the entire following day. But then, reiterating, how do we know if we have slept sufficient, or whether we had a beauty sleep. We often associate sleep as the time where our body completely shuts down along with our mind, the moment when we are in a different world altogether. Instead, a lot of processing, rejuvenation, and strengthening occurs of our body and especially of our brain. During the day, our brain processes an enormous amount of information. It processes too much data and information, putting it in complete overdrive. As a result, we feel burnt out. Research over many years has shown that usually seven to eight hours of sleep is required. However, beauty sleep paramount to the amount of sleep that allows one to wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and is more important for the following five reasons:

1.   Helps in shedding those extra pounds

Believe it or not, sleeping poorly does tend to add on more weight. It has been observed that people who sleep for a lesser duration tend to put on more pressure than those who get adequate sleep. Poor sleep leads to many physiological problems. Obesity is one of them. This effect has been seen predominantly amongst females. Studies have shown that women who have slept five hours or fewer per night were 32 percent more likely to experience significant weight gain over some time. Sleep-deprived individuals display a tendency to eat more. This is because, when your body is tired, it produces a hormone that makes you hungry and decreases the feeling of hunger satisfaction. Therefore, you might end up binge eating leading to excessive calories and weight gain.

2.   Keeps your skin hydrated and giving it a glowing complexion:

Probably the reason which one could relate to having a 'Beauty Sleep.' While sleeping, the body focusses on rejuvenating the skin by helping it recover its moisture, thereby giving a nourished and a fresh look when you wake up. Lack of sleep tends to disrupt the water balance in the body leading to dryness and dark circles around your eyes. When sleeping soundly, blood flow to the skin increases, which also contribute towards healthy and even complexion of the skin.

3.   Lowers anxiety levels and boosts your mood

Studies have shown that inadequate sleep leads to an increase in anxiety levels. The studies have also shown that people who have a natural tendency of being anxious, are worrisome, and tend to have higher levels of anxiety. Poor sleep is also linked to depression. Ergo, put aside those worries, have a sound sleep to make you feel better and ready to face the challenges, the next day might have in store for you. Lowering anxiety levels is of utmost importance to keep away from untoward diseases that begin to affect us.

4.   Good sleep also reduces the risk of heart-related diseases

Lack of sleep or insufficient sleep can put one at a higher risk of heart disease or cardiovascular risk regardless of age, weight, and exercise habits. Researches point out that sleeping little leads to disruptions in underlying health conditions and several biological processes viz. blood pressure. Often in the state of poor sleep or disturbed sleep, the heart rate and blood pressure are lowered. Over some time, this may lead to higher blood pressure during the following day and a greater chance of cardiovascular problems. It is therefore essential to ensure a good sleep.

5.   Boosts your memory and job performance

Studies have shown that sleeping adequate helps in consolidating memory and improves concentration. This helps in improving one's productivity and performance while at work. Power naps while in office have also known to reduce sleep debt. Power naps boost your mind and body and restore your mental alertness. You may think what good can a fifteen- or twenty-minute nap do for you. Think again. Leaders and professionals around the world swear by their power naps for their excellent job performance.  All of these benefits lead up to improved job performance.

Sleep is an underrated part of our lives. We pay very little attention to the number of hours we are sleeping. Our body needs sleep to heal and regenerate. When we subject ourselves to unusual sleep patterns, the body is confused. It doesn’t have a set resting routine. Due to this, we suffer from mental and physical discrepancies. Keep yourself healthy by having healthy sleeping patterns. Sleep your way to a good health.