What Happens When You Don’t Sleep?
When we are asleep, we are drowsy, but we are not fully asleep. This phenomenon is known as sleep inertia. The brain receives sensory information, and it coordinates behavior by sending electrical impulses. The EEG records this activity, which is messy and irregular. Over time, our brains settle into a regular, 10 cycle rhythm. This pattern is characteristic of relaxed wakefulness. Sleep inertia is a symptom of an underlying medical condition called sleep apnea.
Sleep also contributes to memory function, as it removes unwanted information from our brain. It also improves our emotional health by increasing activity in brain regions that control emotions. For example, your amygdala, located in the temporal lobe, is active during sleep. This part of your brain controls your fear response. As you may already know, this part of your brain is directly connected to your emotional state. So, if you don’t sleep enough, you may be susceptible to heart disease.
Once your body enters NREM sleep, your brain waves change. During stage two, your heart rate and muscles slow down. The EEG also shows sharp waves. During this phase, you’re likely to feel groggy, and you may even experience waking up suddenly. As you continue into stage two, your eyes will stop moving, and your heart rate and breathing will slow down. However, your brain waves continue to change. This is the most difficult stage of sleep to wake up from.
Your body will undergo a series of changes while you sleep, and you can also expect a change in the amount of water in your urine. For example, during deep sleep, your blood pressure will drop by 20% or more. In addition, your body will lose up to 20% of its water weight and become more resistant to colds and flu. In addition, REM sleep is associated with an increase in mental alertness and the release of certain hormones, such as serotonin.
Although there is no definitive reason for why we need sleep, the brain needs it. It uses electrical energy to run, and the waste products produced by our brain cells build up in our brains. Sleep also helps us process memory. Therefore, if you don’t get enough sleep, your thoughts are often disordered. You are more likely to make bad decisions and contract a cold if you don’t get enough sleep. But even if your body doesn’t need the rest, it needs a rest.
The amount of sleep you need to stay healthy will depend on your age, your health history, and your genetics. However, you should aim for an average of seven to nine hours of sleep per night. For younger children, adolescents, and older adults, the National Sleep Foundation recommends that they get additional hours of sleep. In addition to the recommended amount of sleep, this amount is dependent on age, and should be taken into consideration. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that we aim to sleep for seven to nine hours a night.