Most of us think "less sleep, *more time for* life" This video is all about why sleep is a huge factor in getting *more out of* life. ▲Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WILearned ▲Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeverettlearned ▲IG: https://www.instagram.com/jeverett.whativelearned/ 70% of the articles and books I've read on sleep will say something like "Sleep is one of the big mysteries of biology" at least once. While it is not 100% understood, there is a lot that is known about the impressive health, fitness and anti-aging effects of sleep. Sleep is particularly important for memory, mental flexibility, creativity and the development of novel insights. If you're someone who's staying up to get more done, you may be sacrificing your chance at sparking that big idea that takes you to the next level. Even for the body, if you're aiming to gain muscle or just sleep, you're shooting yourself in the foot by not getting enough sleep. If this topic was interesting for you, I recommend checking out these books: -David Randall's "Dreamland" (http://amzn.to/2kxuYij) -Shawn Stevenson's "Sleep Smarter" (http://amzn.to/2jHS7Op) -Arianna Huffington's "The Sleep Revolution" (http://amzn.to/2kdtjRx) Dreamland was the most interesting read and Sleep Smarter had the most actionable and practical advice with a decent amount of science. Sleep Revolution was a bit bland, the stats and facts got old and the science part didn't cover as much as I hoped. However it did have an effect on my attitude about sleep so I will say it was worth reading.

Sleep is your life-support system and Mother Nature's best effort yet at immortality, says sleep scientist Matt Walker. In this deep dive into the science of slumber, Walker shares the wonderfully good things that happen when you get sleep -- and the alarmingly bad things that happen when you don't, for both your brain and body. Learn more about sleep's impact on your learning, memory, immune system and even your genetic code -- as well as some helpful tips for getting some shut-eye. If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas: https://ted.com/membership Follow TED! X: https://twitter.com/TEDTalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world's leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit https://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. Watch more: https://go.ted.com/mattwalker https://youtu.be/5MuIMqhT8DM TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy. For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com #TED #TEDTalks #sleep

To support our channel and level up your health, check out: Our Fast Weight Loss Course: http://thehealthnerds.com/the-science-of-fast-weight-loss-course Our Better Health Basics Course: http://thehealthnerds.com/food-health-happiness Today we’re going to talk about the importance of sleep and the 10 scientific health benefits of sleep. We’re also going to finish with some proven sleeping tips that will ensure you get a full night’s rest and make sure you get the right amount. 8 health benefits of sleep: 1. Not getting enough sleep is linked to fat 2. Getting the right amount of sleep improves your hormones 3. Good sleep Improves your immune system Another health benefit of sleep is helping you fight off being sick. In a recent study, people who sleep less than 7 hours a night are 3x more likely to develop a cold than those sleeping 8 hours or more. 4. Sleep Helps to Improve Learning In a Swiss University study two groups were introduced to a new language, one right before bed and one during the daytime. The one’s who slept immediately after leaning new material learned the language quicker than those learning in the day time. So studying before bed seems to be a good idea. 5. Sleep lowers the risk of developing depression In a study of twins researchers found that short sleep increased the genetic risk of developing depression. In fact, it has been estimated that 90% of patients with depression also suffer from some from of sleep apnea. 6. People who get more sleep naturally eat less When you don’t get enough sleep, the fluctuations of hormones cause greater cravings and worse appetite control. So if you’re someone who’s trying to lose weight but just can’t stay away from the late night snacks, getting more sleep is something that can probably help. 7. Sleep helps us empathize with others Another strange health benefit of sleep is a better understanding of social cues. One study found that those who are sleep deprived lose the ability to properly recognize expressions of anger and happiness in the faces of others. 8. Sleep improves athletic performance In a study of basketball players, a better night’s rest improved the players reaction times, speed, and, accuracy. In another study of over 2800 women, lack of sleep made them more sluggish and made it difficult to perform tasks that required coordination. Now that we’ve discussed the health benefits of sleep, lets talk about how to get a better nights rest. Here are 5 Sleeping Tips everyone needs to know Sleeping tip #1. Use Black out curtains and duct tape to black out your room Melatonin, also know as the sleep hormone, is raised when the sun goes down to indicate to our bodies that it’s time to rest. The problem is street lights, outlets, and all sorts of other unnatural lights confuse this hormone and trick it into thinking it’s still daytime. Do a complete blackout of your room and you will notice a BIG difference in both quality of sleep and ability to get to sleep. Also, computer screens and phone screens confuse melatonin as well. There are nighttime modes on these devices, but it’s always best to just not use them 1 hour before bedtime. Sleeping tip #2. Have A Routine Humans are habitual creatures and creating a systematic routine will improve sleep. Something as simple as brushing your teeth, reading a book for 15 minutes and immediately going to bed is a habit you can build to make your sleep almost automatic at night. Sleeping tip #3. Use Your Bed for Nothing but Sleep and the occasional… physical activity. Goes with the habit thing, but the moment you hit the bed you want the body to recognize that it’s time to fall asleep. So try not to work on your bed or spend anytime on it when you’re not resting. Sleeping tip #4. Use a pillow between or underneath your legs. This will help to maintain the alignment of your back and improve your posture over time. It will also help those of you suffering with lower back pain. There is not perfect way to sleep, but on your back is probably best as it helps to maintain the alignment of your neck and spine. Sleeping tip #5. Napping is great. A short 20-30 minute nap lowers cortisol levels and is very healthy for the body. So bring back a little bit of your childhood and do a quick cat nap if feeling tired mid day! Our last point is that the right amount of time for optimal sleep benefits is 7-9 hours per night. No less than 7 and no more than 9 is the perfect amount. Studies Used: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2398753/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC535701/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC535701/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12421655 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21731144 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16259539 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19139325 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25117004 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20337191