In Greekology, good sleep is a central pillar to living well, this is because quality sleep is vital to staying healthy and being on top of your game, without it in the short-term you will lose perspective and not be able to focus on living life well. In the long-term bad sleep can make you sick and open to chronic diseases like Cancer.

Good sleep helps keep your body’s natural clock (circadian rhythm) in sync. Your internal clock helps regulate cell growth and division and when this does not run well your body does not repair itself well which can which can impact mutations which in-turn can become cancer. It also affects hormone production, metabolism, and immune function, all of which can get thrown off if your circadian rhythm is out of whack.

Getting good sleep is also super important for your mental health. When you sleep well, your brain will process emotions better and manage stress more effectively. Without enough sleep, you might find yourself feeling more anxious and irritable.

Plus, a good night’s sleep can really boost your mood and help prevent mood disorders like depression and anxiety. On the flip side, poor sleep is often linked to higher levels of mental distress. Sleep also plays a key role in how well you think and learn. It helps with memory, problem-solving, and decision-making. Without enough sleep, these cognitive functions can suffer, making it harder to concentrate and learn new things.

So, if you want to feel better mentally and physically, make sure you’re getting enough good-quality sleep. It really makes a difference.

How Long Should You Sleep?

The amount of sleep needed can vary by age  but for adults following the Greekology guidelines it should be a minimum of 8 hrs a day. Although you may think that you feel good with less than this, it is still important to get at least 8 hours on average to ensure your body can optimise the mental and health outcomes of a quality sleep

If you sleep less than 7 hours per day this should be treated as an urgent issue to resolve as living on this does not allow you to get the required outcomes. Research has shown that getting under 7 hours of total sleep may increase chronic disease for instance.

This sleep does not need to all happen as part of your nightly sleep, naps and siestas can be an important ingredient in increasing your sleep to get to the minimum of eight hours. Infact some research shows that those who don’t rest through the day have a 60% higher risk of developing cancer compared to those who napped for an hour or more each day.