Throughout your life, you’ve probably heard countless instant remedies for particular health problems. If you’re stressed, go to yoga. If you’re having a hard time concentrating, drink coffee. If you’re always feeling under the weather with a cold or the flu, stock up on multivitamins.

Vitamins and yoga can be great solutions for certain health problems, but there’s another solution that can help you function better and feel happier in almost every area of your life—more sleep. Sleep deprivation can be easy to overlook, but it’s responsible for a lot of negative health effects.

It can be hard to see how staying awake for an extra hour can really be so bad. One recent study found that most Americans carry an accrued “sleep debt” with them throughout their lives. In the study, participants were given the opportunity to sleep as long as they needed. For the first few days, without alarm clocks and obligations, most participants slept for twelve hours or more. After the first several days, participants’ sleep schedules leveled out—they slept for only seven to nine hours.

If you’re not putting enough hours into your sleep bank, your body and mind could be having a harder time staying afloat than you think. So, while it might be tempting to cut your sleep short to watch a movie or head to the office a little early, there are at least five great reasons to make your sleep a priority in the long-term.

5 Reasons Why Sleep is Good for Happiness

1. Less stress

When you’re tired, small hiccups can morph into big, overwhelming problems. Maybe you feel more reactive or jittery. There’s a reason your fuse is shorter when you’re exhausted—not getting enough sleep each night allows your stress hormones to thrive in greater numbers. If you get the sleep you need, you’ll likely feel more emotionally prepared to tackle the day ahead of you.

2. Happier brain

Getting the sleep you need each night improves your ability to concentrate at work. Sleep often enhances the quality of your work as well—you’re better able to jog your memory and to solve problems as they pop up. If you’re feeling easily distracted at work or school, think about how much you’re sleeping each night. More sleep is good; sleep deprivation leads to accidents in the workplace and on the road.

3. Better health

More than a few researchers have discovered that sleep is good for your physical health. In each stage of the sleep cycle, your brain works to repair and fine-tune different parts of your body. In sleep, hormones are released in your body that heal damaged tissue. Your immune system also takes advantage of the time you spend at rest. In the long-term, good sleep reduces your risk of disease.

4. Emotional stability

When you’re grumpy after a night of tossing and turning, the people you’re closest to are often affected. Sleep is good for you and your relationships; if you’re well-rested, you’re usually a better friend, partner, and coworker. Lacking in sleep can also contribute to depressed feelings. Less sleep is also related to lower levels of optimism. If you’re feeling down about life and you’re not sure why, setting a more regular sleep schedule often helps.

5. More energy

Sleeping longer to have more energy during the day seems like a no-brainer. Sleep researchers found that the mid-day lull in your energy levels could be related to having an unresolved sleep debt. If you’re feeling low on energy, it can be hard to motivate yourself to exercise or spend time with friends—two important components of happiness.