Having the same sleep schedule has many different benefits. Check out these reasons why you should stick to the same sleep schedule.

More than one-third of Americans aren’t sleeping enough on a regular basis. This is leaving well over 80 million people feeling sleep deprived day in and day out.

Is a lack of sleep starting to take a toll on your body and mind? The key for you might be to create a sleep schedule for yourself—and stick to it!

6 Important Reasons to Stick to a Sleep Schedule - sleep, schedule, rem sleep, night, morning, melatonin

Here are six important reasons to incorporate a sleep schedule into your daily routine.

1. Helps You Fall Asleep at Night

One of the reasons why people don’t get enough sleep at night is because they struggle to fall asleep in the first place. About 27% of people admit to not being able to fall asleep almost every night.

A sleep schedule will make it easier for you to drift off once you climb into bed. Your body and mind will begin to prepare for sleep about an hour in advance, which will make falling asleep easier.

2. Increases Your Melatonin Levels

Melatonin is a hormone that plays an important role when it comes to sleep. If your melatonin levels are too low, sleep will often be hard to come by.

When you put together a sleep schedule, it’ll help you to increase your melatonin levels at night over time. The more melatonin you have in your system, the better you will sleep.

Increased melatonin will also help your body in other ways. While it’s primarily thought of as something used to help you sleep, melatonin can also improve your digestive health and even eliminate the presence of parasites in your system.

3. Allows You to Get Access to REM Sleep

In addition to helping you fall asleep, a sleep schedule can also provide you with regular REM sleep.

REM sleep is the stage of sleep when you tend to dream the most. It’s also the stage that can improve your ability to learn. More REM sleep can benefit your mind in a big way.

4. Improves Your Chances of Losing Weight

Are you in the process of trying to lose a little bit of weight? Your sleep schedule will allow you to get the sleep you need to do it.

Sleeping keeps all of your body’s hormones in check. This can promote weight loss and help you avoid unnecessary food cravings during the day.

5. Gives Your Immune System a Boost

Outside of helping you lose weight, a sleep schedule can also provide your immune system with a much-needed boost. It’ll fight off germs, viruses, and other invaders more effectively when you’re getting enough sleep.

Studies have shown that there’s a strong connection between how often a person gets sick and how much sleep they get at night.

6. Makes It Easier to Wake Up in the Morning

When you’re on a sleep schedule, you’ll wake up at the same time every morning. Your body will get used to waking up at this time and will do certain things to prepare your mind for it.

It’ll send out hormones like cortisol and adrenaline about one hour prior to your wake-up time. They’ll help you wake up easier and allow you to steer clear of slamming on the snooze button.

Set Up a Sleep Schedule and Start Using It Today

If you’ve never used a sleep schedule before, it can take some getting used to. You may need to power through the first few weeks before your body and mind adjust.

But once you’re on a schedule, you’ll find yourself sleeping better than ever before. You’ll also find yourself feeling better throughout the day without having to rely on coffee and other caffeinated products.

Take a look at our other sleep-related articles to learn more about getting enough shut-eye.