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Even without understanding how sleep impacts our lives, it is evident that having a good sleep is beneficial. However, in modern days most people don’t see the necessity of having enough sleep. People find it difficult to switch off their phones, television, iPad, and other gadgets in bed. Others worry too much about their jobs, relationships, and family, thus forgetting to sleep. According to research done by scientists, sleep plays a significant role in the overall functioning of the body, such as in memory, learning, metabolism, and immune functions. So why should you sleep and what are the benefits of sleep
Why do we sleep?
Most of us have never thought about why we sleep. However, we acknowledge that sleep makes us feel happier, alert, and energetic. The fact that quality sleep makes us feel refreshed and lack of sleep makes us feel horrible explains why everyone needs to have a quality sleep. One way to explain the importance of sleep is to put it in comparison with other life-sustaining activities such as eating. We eat to get nutrients that are necessary for the body to grow and function effectively. Even though we understand the importance of eating more than sleeping – Sleeping and eating are not that different.
The human body is fitted with powerful internal drivers regulating life-sustaining activities such as sleep and eating. Just like eating quenches hunger, sleep quenches sleepiness. Scientists have explored why animals and human beings need to have a good sleep in different angels. For example, they have looked into what happens when human beings don’t have enough sleep and have developed theories. They have also checked on the sleeping patterns of different organisms, but the question of why we need to have a quality sleep has been difficult to answer. With the limited information on why we sleep scientists have managed to develop the following theories on why we sleep
Inactivity theory
It is the oldest theory explaining why we sleep. It is further referred to as the evolutionary or adaptive theory. It states that human beings and animals were made to be inactive at night as a survival function to keep them out of harm when they are vulnerable.
Energy conservation theory
According to this theory, sleep is vital to reducing energy demand and expenditure during the night of inactivity. According to research, when one is sleeping, energy metabolism is decreased. It has further proved that caloric demand and body temperature reduce when one is asleep. Such observation proves that sleep helps animals and human beings to conserve energy.
Restorative theories
These theories are based on the belief that sleep helps restore what has been lost in the body. Sleep serves as an opportunity for the body to rejuvenate and repair itself. Research carried out in animal, and human studies have shown that animals that did not have enough sleep lost their immune functions and died. Scientists have also proved that many therapeutic functions, such as growth hormones, muscle growth, protein synthesis, and tissue repair, occur when one is sleep.
Types of sleep
There are two types of sleep :
Rapid eye movement sleep( REM )
Non-rapid eye movement sleep ( NREM)
NREM sleep
In this type of sleep, you don’t dream. However, you encounter simple broken thoughts while asleep
REM sleep
In this kind of sleep, you will always dream. However, muscles do move, but you can breathe and move your eyes. This kind of sleep happens after 90 minutes when one is asleep.
The following are the benefits of having enough sleep.
Better concentrations and productivity
Based on research done in a sleep school in London, lack of good sleep can reduce your productivity by 57%. Lack of proper sleep also reduces your mental and physical awareness. Quality night sleep is a performance enhancer that is mostly underrated. While asleep, our minds are always busy managing negative thoughts and diffusing stressful situations we have encountered during the day. Sleep also ensures that you have enough strength to face the following day. A good night’s sleep improves your memory and lowers your blood pressure, which are essential factors in promoting your working life. Going to work while you have not had enough sleep increases accident risk, lowers concentration levels, and becomes impossible to multitask. Lack of enough sleep has a significant impact on weight. Employees like taking high-calorie foods that have a high percentage of sugar to raise their energy levels. When sleeping, hormones such as leptin and ghrelin are produced. Ghrelin communicates to the body when to eat, and it is mostly produced when one is tired. Leptin regulates the energy produced in the body and the amount of food intake. Less of these hormones are produced when one is not sleeping and can result in obesity. When an employee is obese, he can’t be able to perform his daily activities effectively. Sleep has direct effects on the academic performance and behaviors of children. Children that sleep as recommended are said to excel in their academics as compared to those that do not get enough sleep.
Sleep improves our social and emotional intelligence.
This reminds me of when I met my husband, he asked me of something negative he was supposed to know about me, and I told him that I am ” grumpy” at times. After a decade of raising my children who are now grown-ups, I realized that becoming ”grumpy” did not have anything to do with my character but sleep deprivation, given that I rarely slept for eight hours. Having enough sleep affects our adaptability, emotional self-control, and empathy which comprise of emotional intelligence. We should make sure that we get 8 hours of sleep and not 5, 6, or 7 hours. In the last two hours of sleep, we experience the REM (Rapid eye movement) kind of sleep, which ensures that our emotions are well adjusted. Human beings can experience and regulate their emotions. We also can influence and recognize other people’s emotions. Based on the research, we experience the REM kind of sleep more than other animals.
The following are ways in which sleep promotes our emotional intelligence.
Sleep helps us to manage our emotions.
Inappropriate emotions are mostly linked to sleep-deprived individuals. It is evident in workplaces, where a leader’s loose patience with their junior staff members. Having inappropriate emotions destroys relationships and reduces connections. Having emotional self-control is an essential factor in building emotional intelligence. A section of our brain, named the amygdala, is responsible for triggering rage and anger. Lack of enough sleep overworks this part of our minds making us produce inappropriate emotional reactions. Thus, having a quality sleep is vital in promoting emotional balance.
Sleep promotes empathy
Empathy is being able to tell and understand other people’s feelings. It is one of the many competencies of emotional intelligence. There is a section of our brain which is responsible for reading facial expressions and decoding emotional feelings. It is from this region of our brain that REM sleep emanates. REM kind of sleep is capable of adjusting sensitive instrumentation at night. When we cannot get enough of REM sleep, the facial expression might become distorted, thus confusing friendly facial expressions with frustration and anger.
Sleep promotes creativity
Being able to adapt and become innovative in a changing environment is crucial in building emotional intelligence. Sleep fosters creativity, and problem-solving. While asleep, our minds process a lot of information and give us solutions to various problems. In workplaces, a creative employee or leader adapts easily in an environment. They can come up with different strategies for achieving their goals. They are never stuck in old strategies of doing things; instead, they keep changing as the environment changes. They are open-minded thus becoming innovative
Quality sleeps your body immune system
Lack of quality sleep is a threat to your immune system. Research has shown that a person with a weak immune system is likely to get sick when exposed to viruses. Moreover, your recovery from certain diseases is based on the hours you spend sleeping. While you are asleep, our immune system produces proteins known as cytokines, which help in fighting inflammations and infections and also promotes sleep. Cytokines also help in managing stress. Lack of enough sleep reduces the production of Cytokines, posing a significant threat to your health. Other cells and antibodies that help in fighting diseases are mostly produced when asleep.
Your body will always require quality sleep to fight disease. Lack of enough sleep for a long period increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. How long do you need to sleep to boost your immunes system?
Adults- 8 hours
Teenagers – 10 hours
School children- At least 12 hours
You should also start taking naps, which are not longer than 30 minutes. One should be in the morning while the other in the afternoon. Naps will help you manage stress and offset the negative effect of the lack of enough sleep in your immune system. Sleep also helps in regenerating, recovering, and renewing of body cells.
Sleep improves your mental health.
According to the center for disease control and prevention, about 33 percent of the world population struggles with Insomnia. Sleep improves our mental health. There is a complicated relationship between sleep and mental health. Although lack of sleep is said to be caused by psychiatric conditions, research suggests that lack of sleep plays a significant role in the development of mental diseases. It means that Insomnia can cause changes in mental health, and mental health issues get worse when one does not have a quality sleep, which means that there is a circular connection between mental health and sleep. You need to consult a doctor if you are having issues staying or falling asleep.
Stress
Lack of quality sleep makes it difficult for you to deal with minor stress. A day has its struggles, which can change to be sources of frustration. Going through activities of the day can make you feel frustrated, frazzled, and short-tempered. Lack of sleep can even become a source of mental issues and stress.
Depression
Sleep problems, such as Insomnia, are related to depression. Lack of sleep can as well cause depression. According to the center for diseases control, people who have Insomnia are at a high risk of developing depression. Through sleep improvement, we can lessen the possibility of developing depression.
Sleep improves our athletics performance
For athletes, sleep is a catalyst for success. Sleep affects athletic achievements in
Motivation
Focus
Motor function
Reaction times
Illness rates
Muscle recovery
Winning or losing in n athletic competition depends n whether you had a quality sleep. Good eating habits are important for your athletic performance, but sleep plays an equal role.
Injury Rates
Lack of quality sleep has been associated with increased accidents in athletic competition. The University of California found that Injuries in athletics increased when athletes spent less than six hours asleep. Another study carried out on high school students showed that hours spent asleep could predict injury rates. When players are fatigued, they slowly react. Fatigue may also affect the body’s immune system exposing players to illness.
Accuracy and Speed
Sleep quality affects sprint times and accuracy for basketball players. Quality sleep has caused improvement in athletic performance in weightlifters and swimmers. A study carried out by the center for sport and exercise science showed that sleep deprivation had adverse effects on the leg press, daily mood, deadlift exercises, and bench press. The study further showed that sleep is vital in the cognitive, physiological and biochemical aspects of the body
Reaction time
Fatigue can negatively affect reaction times. Sleep deprivation for athletes can be likened to intoxication by alcohol, which harms their game. However, athletes are supposed to be sober when participating in any sport. Thus, coaches need to select those who had enough resting and sleeping time to participate in any sporting event.
In conclusion, so long as you are living, you will need quality sleep. Our bodies require this sleep to perform effectively. It is vital to grasp the importance of quality sleep—people whose sleep patterns do not adhere to what is needed need to adjust their habit. Sleep is a natural phenomenon; thus, you should be on your bed anytime you feel sleepy. Forget the stress and switch off any gadget that may disrupt you.