Snug as a Bug is committed to helping everyone get a better night’s rest. Getting enough sleep in a night is essential for both mental and physical health, but studies show that people are not getting enough of it. 40% of US adults only get 6 hours of sleep a night, which is below the recommended amount of between 7 and 9 hours.

Sleep is a powerful force. According to a US National Sleep Foundation study, 63% of adults who report that they are in very good or excellent health also report that they have very good sleep habits. Here is a look at all of the things a good night’s sleep can do for you.

It boosts brain power by forming new pathways while you sleep. As a result, cognition, memory, creativity and decision-making power are improved. Children also fare better academically and have improved concentration levels.

Getting adequate sleep also reduces major diseases, some that are even life-threatening, including heart disease and stroke. Sleep can also prevent high-blood pressure, diabetes (by maintaining a healthy insulin level) and can fight off infection. Even getting 30 more minutes a night can result in improvements. For example, those who report that they are in excellent or very good health, tend to sleep an average of 30 minutes longer each night.

The infographic below explores the benefits of sleep in more detail, tips to get a better night’s sleep and some interesting facts about sleep that you may not have heard before. For example, have you heard of microsleep? If you don’t get enough sleep, this can cause microsleep. Microsleep means that you will experience brief moments of involuntary sleep, even though you are actually awake! In short, it is imperative that everyone makes getting enough sleep every night a priority. Remember – a good night’s sleep begins much earlier in the day.