Didn’t get enough sleep last night huh?
I know how you feel. When you don’t get enough sleep, everything the next day just seems so much harder. Have you ever asked yourself, why is that? What is sleep? And why do we do it at all?
Let’s find out!
Alie Astrocyte is here to help.
All human beings need sleep. It’s as important to life as oxygen, food and water. You spend about a third of your life sleeping. That means that if you live up to a hundred years old, you’ll spend 33 years asleep. That’s a lot of time we’re wasting right? Imagine all the things you could do with that extra eight hours a night. You could hang out with friends, play games, learn new things.
Sleep is an essential part of our daily routine that is often overlooked. Getting enough sleep has numerous health benefits that can improve your overall quality of life. In this article, we will answer the top 5 frequently asked questions about sleep to help you understand the importance of sleep and how it can benefit your health.
WHY EVEN BOTHER SLEEPING?
Good question.
We still aren’t sure what exactly it is or why we need it, but scientists are trying hard to figure it out. Even if we don’t know everything, let’s talk about the one we know. First off, our brains act differently when we sleep. The millions of tiny cells in your brain called neurons, sends thousands of signals to each other each second.
Sometimes those signals line up into patterns, like waves of water on a beach. Different wave patterns in your brain represents different stages of sleep. When you first lay down in bed and try to fall asleep, your brain creates fast alpha waves, which are associated with relaxation. Once you start to dose off, your brain waves slow down. These are called theta waves, and they’re important for learning and memory.
You’re still not very deeply asleep until you sink into what’s called slow wave sleep and boy are they slow. At this point, the waves are coming only about once per second. Now, you’re definitely asleep. If we need to do it every night, our brain must be doing something pretty important right?
The weird thing is, even if we have theories, we still haven’t quite figured out where it came from – or why we need it.
How Much is Enough?
Most adults need between seven and nine hours per day. Getting less than six or seven hours of sleep for just one night can affect you the next day. Constant missing out on it increases your risk of serious diseases.
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13 Health Benefits of Sleep.
There are so many health benefits of sleeping. Including;
- Potentially helps with creativity.
- Better management of blood sugar.
- Reduction of stress.
- Improvement in Your Memory.
- Lowers risk for health serious health problems like diabetes and heart diseases.
- Boosts ability to focus.
- Can maximize athletic performance.
- Skin makes new collagen when you’re asleep, which prevents sagging.
- Strengthens the heart.
- Better moods.
- Healthier weight.
- Reduces inflammation.
- Increases alertness and stability in balance.
The Key Takeaway.
While asleep, your body is at work. It restores hormonal balance, repairs itself, and keeps the circulatory and immune systems functioning.
Quality sleep allows you to be energetic and alert. It allows you to lose weight, exercise, work, learn, socialize, and do all the things you enjoy.
What is sleep?
It is a natural state of rest in which the body and brain are in a reduced state of awareness. During sleep, the body goes through various stages of restorative processes that are crucial for physical and mental health.
How much sleep is enough?
The amount of sleep required varies from person to person. However, the National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults aim for 7-9 hours of it per night. Children and teenagers require more sleep, with infants requiring up to 17 hours per day.
What are the health benefits of getting enough sleep?
Getting enough sleep can improve memory, concentration, and productivity. It can also boost the immune system, reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and improve overall mental health.
Can lack of sleep be harmful to your health?
Yes, it can lead to a variety of health problems. It can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Lack of sleep can also lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression and affect cognitive function.
What can you do to improve your sleep quality?
Establishing a regular schedule, creating a relaxing environment, and avoiding stimulants such as caffeine and electronics before bedtime can improve sleep quality. Exercise, a healthy diet, and stress reduction techniques such as meditation can also promote better sleep.
