Seven to eight hours of sleep per night may seem a lot when you’re never short of things to do, but there are plenty of reasons for getting sufficient shut-eye.

We asked Linda Ekholm, Head of Wellbeing Experiences at Hotel St. George, why and how we should all sleep like babies.

Sleep is important to holistic well-being

Recovery is one of the six parts of the Circle of Better Life, a concept developed by the world-famous doctor Aki Hintsa.

– Sleep is one of the most important components of well-being, Linda Ekholm confirms.

Sleeping promotes both mental and physical recovery and renewal, helping us to function at our very best. Sleeping promotes the creation of new nerve cell connections within the brain.

It cleanses the brain of bad experiences, facilitates problem solving, and helps us save events and information in our long-term memory.

At the same time, the body recovers physically by producing vital building blocks to keep us healthy.

Linda Ekholm helps the Hotel St. George guests sleep and recover better by analyzing their sleep at Sleep Lab -sleep consultations.

Sleep protects us from illness

A good night’s sleep boosts our immune system and speeds up recovery from illness. It can also reduce the risk of dementia.

– In Alzheimer’s disease, for example, certain proteins called amyloid plaques accumulate in the areas between the brain’s nerve cells. During sleep these areas expand, allowing the brain to flush out such waste products more effectively, Ekholm explains.

Sleep also helps prevent illnesses, because lack of sleep often goes hand in hand with being overweight.

When we sleep too little, it disturbs the balance of our appetite-regulating hormones. As a result, we’re more likely to make unhealthy food choices and eat too much. This may contribute to the onset of type 2 diabetes.

− It appears that the microbes in our gut also influence our body clock, also known as our circadian rhythm. Our diet and our eating pattern throughout the day may play a significant role in how much and how well we sleep, Ekholm continues.

With the purpose to minimize blue light, most of the screens are hidden at Hotel St. George.

In search of a better sleep

Being aware of the importance of sleep isn’t always enough, however. Thankfully, Ekholm is not short of useful tips:

Blue light overstimulates the brain so much that it’s difficult for the mind to rest. You should really shut down your phone, laptop and other smart devices a couple of hours before bedtime.
I’d also recommend avoiding caffeinated drinks late in the afternoon. Alcohol has an immediate effect, too.
A good bed that supports the body and adapts to its shape is also beneficial. What’s more, the importance of routines if you want to improve your sleep quality.
When you exercise regularly, eat well and keep to an everyday schedule that suits you best, you normally fall asleep faster and sleep deeper.