Sleep is a natural state of rest for both the mind and the body, usually, close the eyes, and consciousness is partially or entirely lost. Furthermore, during sleep, there is a decrease in bodily movement, and relatively more responsive to internal stimuli than external stimuli.
How important is your sleep?
Sleeping may be considered a big waste of time. Nevertheless, sleep appears to be necessary; there is still an ever-lasting debate about why we sleep. How much sleep do you need?
No one knows and understands clearly, why we sleep, but sleep has an impotent restorative function.
Benefits of Sleep in Restorative Process
This theory of sleep suggests that sleep helps the body recover from all the work it does. Experiments have shown that the more physical activity an animal does, the more NREM an animal will have. Besides, NREM-deprived persons may experience physical tiredness. If people are, deprived of REM sleep, and then they can get anxious and irritable. REM sleep has also been considered crucial for memory and learning.
Importance of deep Sleep and its benefits
Good night's sleep is essential for the normal, healthy functioning of the human body as well as mental health, including the immune system. Sleep helps to improve the immune system which is one’s ability to fight against diseases.
- The body rests and restores its energy levels during sleep
- Sleep is an active state that supports and improves both physical and mental well-being.
- Sleep often helps to cope with stress, and recover from illness.
The necessity of sleep is well understood from animal studies, which have shown that rest is a must for survival. The average life span of rats is two to three years. However, rats deprived of sleep live for only about three weeks.
Understanding Sleep
During sleep, the brain undergoes a natural cycle of brain wave activities that includes intervals of dreaming. Once sleep was thought of as a passive state, however, now it is understood as a dynamic process, and the brains are active during sleep. Sleep is a complicated physiological phenomenon that scientists are still not able to understand fully.
Brains state of activity during sleep and wakefulness results from different activating and inhibiting forces that were caused within the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals involved in nerve signaling, which controls whether one is asleep or awake by acting like the neurons (nerve cells) located in different parts of the brain. Neurons located in the brainstem induce sleep by inhibiting other parts of the brain that keep one awake.
Sleep needs to be looked after by the
- Relaxation of the muscles,
- Absence of voluntary activity for any rational objects or purpose
- Pulse is slower,
- Respiratory movements are fewer in number but deeper,
- Less blood in the cerebral vessels
Sleep Disorder Facts
Sleep health essentially needs a person’s physical and mental health and well-being, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). However, millions of people do not get enough sleep or lack of sleep. A survey conducted by the NSF on 1999-2004, shows more than 40 million Americans have over 70 different sleep disorders, and 60 % of adults reportedly have sleep problems a few nights a week. Most of these problems go undiagnosed and untreated.
Additionally, there are more than 40 % of adults experience severe daytime sleepiness that interferes with daily activities at least a few days every month. And 20 % report problems of sleepiness a few days every week. Furthermore, 69 % of children experience sleep problems a few nights or more during a week.
Sleep & Sleep disorder information is available here
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- Sleep (Stages of sleep, Sleep deprivation, Sleep hygiene),
- Sleep disorders (Sleeping Insomnia, Sleep apnea, Restless legs syndrome & Narcolepsy) and
- Home remedies for a sleep disorder,
- Sleep medicines
- Alternative therapies (herb, yoga, acupressure & reflexology).