While You Were Sleeping

Real Simple magazine NYC, sleep and its benefits on the body.

“Sleep is often the first thing we cut out when things get busy,” says Jessica Payne, Ph.D., a professor of psychology and director of the Sleep Stress and Memory Lab at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. “That’s because a lot of people think of it as an inert state, kind of like a laptop switching off. In fact, your mind and body are highly active with processes that are critical for your physical and mental health.”

The article looks at the important things your body and mind are accomplishing for you while you are sleeping—from problem solving to weight control--and expert tips for getting the greatest benefit from your shuteye. “If you make sleep a priority in your life, you are going to be more efficient at the million things you have to get done during the day,” says Shelby Harris, Psy.D., Director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.