We all are guilty of closing our laptops and calling it a day. Unfortunately, simply closing your laptop does not allow its hardware to rest. Knowing the benefits of restarting your computer frequently sheds light on why it’s in your best interest to recharge those batteries by restarting them.
Increased Performance
We all have spent many nights cramming for a test without much rest, only to bomb it the morning of because we were too tired to retain the information the night (or nights) before. Your computer can also burn out if you don’t give it a brief break from a restart.
Memory leak is one of the main reasons your computer tends to slow down when it goes too long without regular restarts. A memory leak happens when a program or application uses your computer’s RAM but does not release it back to the system when it’s done. This leak might occur due to poorly coded software or software bugs.
Over time, your system’s available memory becomes fragmented and limited, causing the computer to move slowly. The poor performance results from your system constantly trying to juggle and allocate the remaining available memory among the various applications you’re running. Restarting your computer clears the RAM and gives your system a fresh start, allowing it to perform tasks more efficiently.
Fewer Software Glitches
Continual operation can cause minor bugs to accumulate over time, leading to unexpected behavior or software crashes. Conflicting software applications is another reason. We wear ourselves thin and get nothing done when we overextend ourselves and try to do a million things at once.
Your computer will compete for system resources, causing some to malfunction if too many of them run simultaneously. This malfunction is particularly common with resource-intensive tasks that require significant memory or processor capacity.
Lastly, updates or patches to software often need a system restart to take effect fully. Your computer’s system will not receive any crucial updates that lead to inconsistencies and possible glitches.
Improved Security
Better security is one of the most significant elements of frequent computer restarts. Our systems confront many possible security concerns as we explore the digital world. Updates to your operating system and apps sometimes contain security patches to safeguard your computer from new viruses or cyber threats.
However, these upgrades normally need a system restart to become effective. Not restarting your computer exposes your system to bugs and hacks since these security upgrades remain partly unimplemented or not deployed.
Automatic Updates
These updates are key to keeping your system’s software current, fixing bugs and vulnerabilities, and adding new features. However, some of these updates only take effect after a restart.
It’s due to how operating systems work—they can’t replace files currently in use, including critical system files. Therefore, the system places the new files in a temporary area when an update comes in, waiting for a system restart to switch out the old files safely.
Saves Money on Repairs
Perhaps most importantly, restarting your computer frequently can save you money in the long run. Computers working on overdrive are more prone to overheating, which can cause expensive hardware components like your hard drive and power supply to fail. By keeping your computer healthy with regular restarts, you can prevent such failures, costly repairs, and adding more e-waste.
The benefits of restarting your computer frequently prove there is a method to the CTL+ALT+DELETE madness. It’s a good idea to make a habit out of regularly restarting your computer if you want it to run like a well-oiled machine. Your hard drive will thank you.
