There isn’t a shortage of people who tend to pull frequent all-nighters. It might be because of work, stress, or just a Netflix binge. The thing is you may be putting yourself in danger of facing sleep deprivation or deficiency.
Sleep deprivation and deficiency occur when you don’t sleep well. It stops you from enjoying all the types of sleep essential for a healthy body. It can also be a battle against a sleep disorder that denies you the best quality of sleep.
Sleep is as essential as breathing. Without enough sleep, your body lacks a vital ingredient for excellent health. Why is sleep so crucial to our health, and what happens to your body when you sleep? Insidebedroom tells how to get a good sleep. Learn about the importance of sleep in this blog.
How Sleep Affects the Body
The recommended amount of sleep for an adult is about 7-9 hours. Children and teens may need more hours of sleep. The number of sleeping hours needed is typically higher in the lower age range.
Unless you’re suffering from a sleep disorder like insomnia, you should be able to sleep well. You can control your sleep if you understand the factors behind healthier sleep.
Most of the time, you’re not able to sleep well because of bad sleeping habits. Exercise before bedtime can raise endorphin and cortisol levels to keep you buzzing. Alcohol and coffee may bring some excitement and better your moods, but it can ruin your ability to reach deep sleep.
Light may also inhibit the release of the sleep hormone melatonin. When the lights are off, the body releases this hormone to prompt drowsiness. As morning kicks in, sunlight triggers cortisol. This causes alertness and busts of energy.
An internal system or clock regulates how you sleep. Without any disruptions like light, your body develops a predictable sleep cycle. During the day, the body tires and demands rest during bedtime. Sometimes you may feel drowsy despite the disruptions.
A stable sleep cycle results from letting your body conform to a specific sleep pattern. That’s you can prepare for sleep by avoiding all the disruptions and going to bed at a regular time.
If your bedtime is at 10:00 pm, make sure you’ve switched off the lights at least 30 minutes before. Sometimes, all you need is a little push or help to restore your sleep patterns.
Struggling to sleep or want to help your kid sleep sounder? Try these 10 Gifts for a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Patterns and the Importance of REM Sleep (Deep State Sleep)
According to experts, good sleepers undergo four phases of sleep. These include the initial two NREM stages – which are also known as quiet sleep.
The earlier stages of sleep comprise a transition from wakefulness to sleep. Here, temperatures and breathing rates usually drop. It’s in the second stage of sleep where you may lose awareness of your surroundings.
The third stage, also known as the delta sleep, is where deep sleep occurs. Muscles relax and you lose awareness of noise and the environment. This is also the stage where you’ll see children wetting the bed and people sleepwalking.
The REM stage is the most profound state of sleep. It’s often characterized by immobile muscles, dreaming, and a relaxed body. Sadly, while this is the most critical sleep stage, people with sleep deficiency may not reach it.
Importance of REM Sleep
You must follow the recommended sleep patterns to enjoy every importance of sleep. For instance, if you’re sleeping shorter hours, you may not enjoy the relaxing sleep cycles.
Usually, sleep starts at stage one. It then shifts you up to the REM stage before navigating you around the other stages. The deeper you sleep, the more refreshed, creative, and healthier you can become.
Importance of Sleep for Kids
REM sleep is important because it stimulates the creative and learning areas of the brain. This type of sleep may be more important for infants for normal brain development. This explains why you should let kids sleep more. This allows them a quicker growth of their cognition abilities.
REM sleep is also essential for boosting the production of proteins. At this stage, the child’s body makes the growth hormone, which facilitates tissue, bones, and muscle repair. The hormone is useful for your child’s life – from growth spurts to puberty.
Sleep may also boost kids’ synthesis of information, understanding, and mental skills. Kids who sleep well and into REM sleep usually have higher recall levels of words and facts. Their brains are more alert, and they process information faster.
Importance of Sleep for Teens
The recommended sleep for teens ranges from eight to ten hours per night. At that rate, teens can enjoy physical health, better school performance, and stable emotional status.
Teens are in a transitional period. More sleep can help them overcome the changes that can affect moods. Teens face early school times, school performance pressure, and peer pressure. This results in constricted sleep times, which denies them healthy restorative sleep.
Sleep for teens promotes optimal brain functioning, memory, attention, and analytical thinking. Sleep also spurs expansive thinking that boosts creativity.
Teens that sleep more may perform better in school, improve physique, and excel in arts. Increased emotional strength can enable teens to overcome drugs, anxiety, and societal pressures.
Importance of Sleep for Adults
According to the Center for Disease Control and Protection, 35% of adults don’t get enough sleep. What happens to adults who don’t abide by the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep? Researchers say night owls have a 10% more likelihood of dying compared to good sleepers.
Poor sleepers face a ton of health risks that increase the chances of death. Lack of enough sleep can lead to emotional distress and it may cause depression. Sometimes it can even lead to suicidal tendencies.
Anyone facing sleep deprivation has a higher risk of weight gain and obesity. Heart problems and stroke can also result because of the low quality of sleep. The drowsiness may also expose you to accidents, and it can weaken work performance.
Good Sleep is Important for Everyone
While most people may assume the importance of sleep, it is one of the critical pillars of better health. Sleep is as vital as eating, water, and breathing. People who sleep the recommended hours are healthier and may live longer.
We discuss other topics of health and their benefits on the site. Check out our blog for more tips and advice.
