The Importance of Sleep for Healthcare Workers ??

A good night's sleep is just as important as healthy eating and regular exercise for everybody. Too often, however, a healthcare workers busy schedule can be compromised due to clients needs and emergencies. The quantity and quality of sleep you get every day/night directly affects your ability perform and provide the best person-centred care possible. Emotionally draining roles,?irregular working patterns, nightshifts, and a stressful work environment are contributing factors.

Read on to see why you should start prioritising your sleep and how to go about it.

Sleeping boosts your immunity. Your body creates cytokines while you sleep, which help prevent diseases and fight off other infections whilst boosting your resistance to illnesses in general.

Sleeping repairs your mind and body. While you sleep, your muscles recover from those long shifts on your feet. As you sleep, blood increases into your muscles, providing nutrients and repairing tissues as needed as well as everywhere else!

Sleeping lowers blood pressure. While you sleep, your blood pressure naturally lowers and regulates stress hormones. Not getting enough regular sleep is associated with high-blood pressure and other cortisol-related health issues.

Sleeping gives you more energy. A no-brainer but important to understand why. Good quality sleep has been proven to boost energy levels. Although energy levels are linked to sleep rhythms and stages, they are also due to the body’s balanced levels of glycogen and adenosine.??

Sleep regulates insulin levels. Have you ever noticed when you don't get enough sleep, you feel hungrier than usual? This is due to an imbalance of insulin and you may start to crave carbohydrates as a means to provide more energy.

Sleep improves cognitive function. The link between sleep and cognitive function has been well established by now through lots of studies. Getting a good night's sleep will boost your reasoning and logical skills, creative problem solving skills and general creativity. Sleeping can also help to consolidate memories which sharpens and strengthens the memory itself, leading to more insightful and inferential thinking.

Some tips for boosting sleepy time is to go to bed at the same time every night. Keep a journal next to you and write down anything that might be keeping you awake (negative thoughts or worries). Exercise regularly or right before bed or even try some gentle stretches. Turn off your phone and laptop and disconnect completely from all social media for at least 30 minutes before getting into bed.

Always remember that you cannot care for others unless you care for yourself first and start to prioritise your sleep!