Sleep is a crucial component not only for recovery after an injury, but for overall health and wellness. Sleep affects not only our physical health, but our mental well-being, cognitive function, emotional regulation, immune system strength and physical performance. Sleep is often thought of as a passive state of unconsciousness, when in fact it is a time where our bodies can restore and rejuvenate from the day. When it comes to healing, sleep plays a crucial role in the body’s repair mechanism making it an essential component of recovery from injuries, illness and daily wear and tear.
There are two main types of sleep:
- Non-rapid eye movement (NREM): during this stage, your body begins to slow down including heart rate, blood pressure and muscles begin to relax – the first three phases of sleep occur in this stage and in the third stage known as the slow – wave sleep is when much of the physical repair and regeneration occurs.
- Rapid eye movement (REM): the fourth sleep stage, categorized by relaxed muscles, quick eye movement, irregular breathing, elevated heart rate and increased brain activity
Due to hormonal changes that occur when sleeping is how the process of recovery happens throughout sleep. During slow – wave sleep, the pituitary gland releases growth hormone, which stimulates tissue growth and repair. This is important for when you have an injury – because growth hormone helps repair damaged tissues.
Melatonin is another important hormone that helps with the healing process. This hormone has powerful antioxidant properties that help protect cells from damage – therefore, supporting the body’s overall repair processes.
Long story short – does sleep play a role in healing and recovery after an injury? The answer is YES. Therefore, if you want to optimize the healing process and quicken your recovery process – make sure you are getting adequate sleep each night.
Resource:
Sleep and Healing: How Rest Accelerates Your Body’s Recovery Process