Health Tip: 8 reasons to get 8 hours of sleep

I'm a night owl and I get a little sad each night when it is time to go to sleep.
But after a recent conversation with one of my favorite health experts (my dad, Dr. Michael McCartney, D.C.), I am re-inspired to get more sleep! As a health care provider, he says that the number one piece of health advice he would give anyone is this: GET 8 HOURS OF SLEEP EACH NIGHT. That's an uphill battle with a one year old who has endless energy but I must try. Here's why:

1) Our immune system depends on it. Especially between the hours of 10pm and 2am, our immune patrols our bodies, eliminating cancer cells, bacteria, and viruses.

(Graham- Newborn)

2) Our emotional and mental events of the day must be processed! Especially during the hours of 2am and 6am we process the events of the day and our mind is made ready for another day of emotion and thought.

(3 months)

3) Sleep is needed to regulate our hormones, especially cortisol which effects mood, weight gain, stress levels.

(4 months)

4) Sleep is good for your heart. Lack of sleep has been linked to increased blood pressure and high cholesterol.

(5 months)

5) Sleep reduces overall inflammation which leads to disease, including cancer.

(6 months)

6) 8 hours of sleep gives you the alertness level that you need for the coming day

(7 months)

7) The right amount of sleep improves your memory (as a mom, heaven knows I need this!)


(8 months)
8) Sleep reduces your need for caffeine addiction