14 Sleep Benefits and 8 Steam Therapy Tips for Better Sleep

Sleep. It's delicious and sometimes elusive. We know it's important, but perhaps not why. We also often fight it.

14 Benefits Associated with a Good Night's Sleep

1. Sleep helps with weight loss
2. Sleep is an important part of exercise & muscle recovery
3. Sleep consolidates memory
4. Sleep improves logical and critical thinking
5. Sleep improves reaction time (i.e., more accurate free throws, better tennis serves)
6. Sleep stabilizes your mood
7. Sleep controls inflammation, and thus improves recovery time after an injury
8. Sleep boosts the immune system
9. Skin cells multiply at a faster rate when you are sleeping
10. Higher levels of human growth hormone (HGH) are released when you're sleeping
11. Sleep lowers cholesterol levels
12. Sleep lowers blood pressure
13. Sleep helps with smoking cessation
14. Sleep makes for an improved sex life

All that is well and good. There's a flip side, too, that we don't often think about.

When you don’t get enough sleep, did you know that you are at higher risk for a number of issues? Yes, that's right!

What Lack of Sleep Can Lead To...

Lack of sleep can lead to sleep apnea, a weakened immune system, a higher chance of tumor growth, impaired memory, an increased risk of pre-diabetes (This is related to the relationship between the hormones ghrelin and leptin. When you’re sleep-deprived, they can give incorrect information about satiety and hunger, leading to overeating), weight gain, an increased risk for breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer. Not good!

8 Steam Therapy Tips for Better Sleep

Luckily, better sleep is within your grasp! Here are Mr. Steam's 8 tips for better sleep: 

1. If you avoid alcohol and caffeine, you will sleep better.
2. Be prepared: properly estimate the amount of sleep needed (for example, a 20-year-old needs 9-10 hours)
3. Set a regular sleep time that includes your weekend schedule
4. Minimize sound and light in the hour prior to bedtime
5. Remove gadgets (or turn them off) from the room
6. When traveling, force yourself to stay up and “reset” your sleep rhythm
7. Pick a few nights when you can sleep in without any disturbance and note how many hours you slept. That is the amount you should be getting regularly.
8. Create a relaxation routine before bed. For example, a home steam shower is a wonder in helping to promote sleep.

Take a steam shower to relax before sleeping.

If you're interested in a learning more about home steam showers, consider reading American Canyon: Home Steam Shower, Surprisingly Affordable Luxury!

We hope you'll take to heart the 14 sleep benefits we've described, actively avoid the issues that sleep deprivation can lead to, and embrace Mr. Steam's 8 Steam Therapy Tips for Better Sleep.

If you have better sleep tips to add to our list, let us know!