There is one thing that we would all agree we do not get enough of: sleep. All too often, we find ourselves in classes, eyes closing and heads nodding. A sense of continual fatigue is felt throughout most of our days.
Although most of us would love to sleep more, we often find ourselves allowing it to fall to the bottom of our priorities. Both school and social commitments generally cut out hours of potential sleeping time. Sleep is an important aspect of our lives, though. How much you get per night affects much more than simply how tired you feel.
About one-third of Americans get less than six hours of sleep per night. The amount of sleep needed per night is different per person; however, the average amount for adults is eight hours. Receiving less than this amount per night impairs your body’s ability to perform at its optimum level.
Sleep is a necessary function of our bodies. During this time, several important processes take place. New memory information is encoded and stored in the brain. The learning part of the brain is stimulated. During sleep, emotional and social communication brain activities significantly slow down, resulting in heightened alertness upon awaking. The nervous system restores itself during this time. And in children, sleep is the time in which growth hormones are released. Studies have shown that people who sleep at least eight hours per night are better problem-solvers and think more creatively.
Sleep deprivation produces both short- and long-term complications. Generally, not getting enough sleep affects one’s motor skills and alertness. Difficulty waking up in the morning and lack of concentration are signs of sleep deprivation. Also, mood swings, irritability, depression and anxiety result from lack of sleep.
Long-term effects of sleep deprivation can be serious. Researchers from the University of Chicago Medical Center found that lack of sleep can result in a higher risk for diabetes. Also, a person’s immune system is weakened. Some studies have also shown a correlation between lack of sleep and weight gain.
In 2000, researchers from Australia and New Zealand published a study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine that found the effects of sleep deprivation to be similar to those of being drunk. This conclusion is especially significant for drivers. The study found that drivers with a blood alcohol level of .05 percent performed better than drivers who had been awake for 17 to 19 hours. Driving with too little sleep is dangerous. Every year, at least 100,000 accidents result from sleep deprivation. Before you drive, make sure that you are fully alert and awake. Take a nap if you have to. It’s not worth losing a life over a lack of sleep.
Many college students, myself included, have been known to pull all-night study sessions before a test. Although cramming in studying may seem like a good idea at the time, it actually does not help one remember that much information. We require a certain amount of sleep so that our brains can store the new information we have learned. It does not happen in only two or three hours of sleep.
Also, your test performance will be negatively affected by sleep deprivation. Your mental alertness is dulled, thereby restricting your ability to think clearly and make educated decisions. A better decision on the eve before a test would be to review major points and go to bed early.
Our bodies keep an intrinsic account of how much sleep we have missed. This is referred to as a sleep debt. Most people can incur up to about 40 hours of sleep debt with no blatant signs; however, once one passes into the 50-hour mark, the body’s functions start to seriously misfire. Some people become susceptible to microsleep, which is falling asleep for a few seconds. Almost everyone suffers from some level of sleep debt. Although it is almost impossible to completely get rid of a sleep debt, there are ways to manage it.
Napping is the best means of repaying a sleep debt. Even if you can only indulge in one for half an hour, it will still help balance the sleep deficit. Utilize your time to include naps if at all possible.
A healthy sleep pattern is just as important as a healthy diet and exercise regime. Make time for sleep in your daily schedule; if at all possible, plan for eight hours. It does not have to be all at once, either. People’s sleep patterns are different; find one that works for you. You will be amazed at how much more awake you will feel.