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11 Valid Reasons To Sleep In, Other Than Just Wanting To

by Jill Di Donato

You don't need me to tell you that you're sleep deprived. Who isn't? But as ambitious adults, sometimes people need a little reminder of all the valid reasons to sleep in. There's this notion that sleeping in means you're lazy or selfish or don't have goals in life. Hogwash. There are proven health benefits to getting sufficient sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, which has been conducting physician-led sleep studies for over 25 years, "sleep health" is essential to living a vital life, and being well-rested, as opposed to being in "sleep debt" improves the quality of your day-to-day.

You also probably know that people spend one-third of their lives asleep, though of course that varies according to your age and lifestyle. And although sleep is key to helping your body repair itself, it is also one of the great pleasures in life. When it comes to pleasure, I'm all for indulging. People, especially women, can be really hard on themselves, to the point that life can be a bit of a drag sometimes. So, not all of my valid reasons to sleep in are backed by medical science. They are just as legitimate though. Because you only live once, and don't you want to be well-rested so you can enjoy the world when you're awake? Of course you do. So go ahead and hit the snooze button, reminding yourself of these reasons.

1

You'll Learn Something New

As Dr. David Rapoport, director of the NYU Sleep Disorders Program, told Health, "something happens while you sleep that makes you learn it better." Whatever it is that clicks in your brain during slumber, which is why improves memory, it helps you master new skills.

2

You'll Get Rid Of Those Bags Beneath Your Eyes

Yup, those under-eye circles are caused by sleep deprivation, according to Shape. So go ahead and get another hour of shuteye.

3

You'll Avoid Car Accidents

According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, being tired accounted for the highest number of fatal single car crashes in 2009 — more fatalities caused by drunk driving. So getting enough sleep definitely doesn't make you selfish.

4

You'll Be Less Stressed

According to The Journal of Endocrinology, the stress-causing hormone cortisol reaches it peak at 7 a.m. . So, wouldn't you rather sleep it away? I know I would.

5

You'll (Possibly) Bed Your New Crush

After months of texting and flirting and wondering if your crush was into you or not, you finally got your answer, and you said, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" It's totally valid to sleep in with this person. Like The Weeknd says, you've earned it.

6

You'll Have A Higher Sex Drive

Dr. Robert D. Oexman, director of the Sleep to Live Institute, told Shape that if you're not getting a solid six to seven hours of sleep, the levels of your sex drive hormone, testosterone decreases. Now that's no fun. In other words, you need sleep to have sex.

7

You'll Have Less Inflammation

Unless you've been living under a rock, (no that doesn't make you paleo) you've likely heard that inflammation has been determined to be really, really bad for you. According to Health, inflammation is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, and premature aging. Oh, and research suggests that sleep lowers the levels of inflammatory proteins in your body. So hit the hey, people.

8

You'll (Maybe) Lose Weight

You're gorgeous at any weight, but if you're committed to your diet, you might want to catch some extra Zs. "Sleep and metabolism are controlled by the same sectors of the brain," Rapoport told Health in the aforementioned article. "When you are sleepy, certain hormones go up in your blood, and those same hormones drive appetite." In other words, sleep less, eat more.

9

You'll Be Happy

The best-selling author of The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin told Good Housekeeping that in her quest for bliss, she made sure to get lots of sleep. And she found that sleep improves mood, like a lot.

10

You'll Have A Healthier Immune System

The National Hear, Lung, and Blood Institute reported that sleep helps keep you healthy. While the immune system is a complex mechanism in the body, it helps you ward off nasty things like cold, the flu, and other common infections. So help your immune system help you, and sleep in. K?

11

Caturday

Need I say more. It's called #Caturday for a reason.