The Importance of Sleep
Our body relies on sleep for many important functions. Sleep allows the body and mind to recharge, allowing it to stay healthy and ward off diseases. Lack of sleep is not only bad for the body, but it affects our brain, impairing our memory and ability to concentrate. Sleep deprivation also compromises our immune system. The results are many. So, what can we do to ensure that we’re getting the recommended amount of sleep every night?
Research indicates that deep sleep improves memory function. It also erases information that is no longer needed. Sleep is also essential for emotional health, because it increases activity in areas of the brain that regulate emotions. These regions include the amygdala, a part of the temporal lobe that controls the fear response. This is why sleep is so important. The more sleep we get, the less likely we’ll experience depression and anxiety, two major conditions that interfere with sleep.
Your biological clock regulates everything from your growth to your reproductive cycle and aging. Your biological clock is called your circadian rhythm and works on a daily time scale. Because your biological clock is regulated by your circadian rhythm, the drive to sleep follows a similar pattern. You can help your body achieve restful sleep by taking a warm bath before bedtime, or by keeping your bedroom cool. By keeping a detailed diary, you’ll be able to pinpoint the exact cause of your sleep problem and the best way to treat it.
The quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity. If you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll be unable to focus during the day and may have trouble waking up in the morning. You’ll be unable to focus properly during the day if you’re constantly waking up. Getting less than seven hours of sleep per night can also cause problems in your heart. If you can’t get enough sleep each night, it’s time to seek a sleep specialist to determine the root cause of your insomnia.
The physiological correlates of sleep have been identified in experimental studies. While sleep is associated with inactivity, electroencephalogram patterns have also been linked with sleep. In most experiments, absence of EEG patterns is believed to mean sleep, but these patterns do not always discriminate between wakefulness and sleep. Despite this, these results are not conclusive. In addition to their value in determining whether a person is asleep, they are also crucial for determining the quality of their lives.
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep refers to a state of diffuse bodily activation. EEG patterns during REM sleep are similar to those seen during drowsiness. However, they involve complex physiological fluctuations. During this phase, the body is in a semi-conscious state of sleep. The heart rate is low and the blood pressure is low. The brain’s sympathetic nervous system becomes active, which helps with automatic responses. And because the body is drowsy, the sleep cycle is interrupted during the REM stage.