Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity, in which consciousness is altered, and sensory activity is inhibited to a certain extent. Simply put, sleep is a way of shutting down our bodies so that we can start refreshed.
Sleep accounts for one-quarter to one-third of our life time. As an average, an adult requires between seven and nine hours of uninterrupted sleep. Reduced sleep can impair your abilities to concentrate, think clearly, and process memories.
Sleep functions as a cyclical pattern. This is known as the circadian rhythm. That’s why we start feeling sleepy at the end of the day and why we wake up in the morning. This means that our internal body has its own “internal body clock”.
The sleep cycle has divided into main stages. These are non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Non-REM sleep comprises 75 percent of the sleep cycle and the REM sleep comprises 25 percent. During sleep, we shift between these two stages as cycles, and ideally, we need to have five or six sleep cycles for a better outcome.
It is said that several chemicals play a main role in the sleep cycle. Adenosine is an organic component produced in the brain and it tends to accumulate during daytime and at the end of the day adenosine concentration is at its peak. This will induce sleep and adenosine will be removed during sleep. Melatonin is also another chemical produced in the brain and natural light inhibits melatonin while low light induces the secretion of melatonin. When there is high amounts of melatonin we will start feeling drowsy and sleepy.
Sleep is an essential activity that is needed to maintain our regular day-to-day activities. Without proper sleep, we won’t be able to function normally. So, let’s talk about the 5 important health benefits of sleep.
1. Stress Relief
Sleep is a powerful stress reducer. When you follow a specific sleeping pattern your mind will be calm and will be restored. This will increase the mood, improve concentration, and sharpens judgment and decision-making. At the same time, sleep and stress are interconnected – if you’re in a stressful situation it is difficult for you to get a good sleep.
2. Healthy heart function
Several studies have shown that reduced sleep has a direct effect on cardiovascular diseases. Sleep can increase blood pressure, increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Long-term high blood pressure also increases coronary heart disease. This will increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes which will have adverse effects on your lifestyle. So better sleep is vital if you want to live a healthy life without heart diseases.
3. Blood sugar control
Multiple studies have shown that altered sleep has effects on glucose intolerance. Furthermore, if someone is already having diabetes, it can worsen the condition. The main problem identified is insulin resistance. Several scientific studies have shown that increased sleep will have a positive effect on blood glucose control. So, a night of proper sleep will always help to control your blood sugar levels reducing diabetes in the long run.
4. Restored immunity
The immune system is a complex network comprised of multiple lines of defense against illnesses. When you get an infection, your body restores as a result of the immune system. Sleep provides essential support to the immune system. When you have regular and adequate sleep, your immune system is restored and will function optimally.
5. Maintaining a healthy weight
There are some studies showing that increasing sleeping time reduces hunger and appetite promoting weight loss. Being overweight will lead to obesity which has multiple health outcomes especially involving the cardiovascular system. Nurses’ health study which followed 68000 middle-aged American females for up to 16 years, revealed that women who slept five or fewer hours a night are 15 percent more likely to develop obesity through the course of the study. This shows that to maintain a healthy body weight, adequate sleep is vital.
In summary, sleep is one of the most important activities that is needed for the body to function optimally. Adequate sleep has multiple health outcomes. Some of them are reducing stress leading to increase focus and memory, controlling blood sugar levels, healthy heart functioning, and improving the immunity of the body.
Resources
- Pacheco, D., & Pacheco, D. (2023). Why Do We Need Sleep? Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/why-do-we-need-sleep
- Summer, J., & Summer, J. (2022). Eight Health Benefits of Sleep. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/benefits-of-sleep
- Sleep and your health: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (n.d.). https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000871.htm
- Thensf. (2020b, November 1). What is REM Sleep? – National Sleep Foundation. National Sleep Foundation. https://www.thensf.org/what-is-rem-sleep/
- How does sleep reduce stress? – Blog | Everlywell: Home Health Testing Made Easy. (n.d.). https://www.everlywell.com/blog/sleep-and-stress/how-does-sleep-reduce-stress/#sleep-and-stress-hormones
- Nagai, M., Kario, K., & Kario, K. (2009). Sleep Duration as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease- a Review of the Recent Literature. Current Cardiology Reviews, 6(1), 54-61. https://doi.org/10.2174/157340310790231635
- Patel SR, Malhotra A, White DP, Gottlieb DJ, Hu FB. Association between reduced sleep and weight gain in women. Am J Epidemiol. 2006; 164:947-54.
