Sleep has a powerful impact on how fast we age. Sleep literally makes our bodies new.
During sleep, those wonderful hormones that build and renew are released. At the same time, the stress hormones that break down our bodies decrease. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) increases while we sleep. HGH is the “fountain of youth” hormone. People are paying to be injected with HGH so they can look like the 60-something year-old physician in the glossy magazine who has the body of a 25 year-old. The natural way to increase this hormone is to just give your body the sleep it needs.
While we sleep, proteins are built up, building bone strength and lean muscle mass. Other hormonal changes that occur during sleep results in an increase in fat metabolism. And yes, it is proven that lack of sleep makes us fat.
The most amazing thing that happens while we sleep is that the genetic material (DNA) that programs our body to have life and to function as a living organism is repaired while we sleep. Damage to our DNA is what causes cancer. While we sleep, DNA damage is repaired.
So if you didn’t get at least 7 hours of sleep last night, go back to bed. If like me, you can’t go back to bed then at least go to bed earlier tonight.