Why Do We Need a Good Night's Sleep?
November 20th 2006 21:42
It is interesting to think about the evolutionary advantage of sleep - because there isn’t one. When we are asleep we can’t do any of the things that keep us alive: we can’t look after our young, hunt and eat, protect ourselves from predators, and most importantly, we can’t reproduce. So, there are many theories on why we have evolved to be unconscious for 7 – 9 hours a day, and hence why being deprived of sleep is such a horrible experience that it can be used as a form of torture.
Why Have We Evolved To Sleep?
One theory of why we sleep is to repair damaged cells and tissues so we may continue to live and prosper throughout life. Many of us know what a ‘good night’s sleep’ can do for us when we are sick. It gives our body time to rest and regenerate and so (hopefully) we will feel better in the morning.
Another theory is that sleep helps wire the neuronal connections in our brain that are involved with memory. Our brain goes over these connections like an iron to make them firmer and so we will remember slightly more the next morning. This is why you should get a decent sleep before an exam. You don’t want to be deprived of the brain’s extra help in your memory recall!
Whatever the reason is why we sleep, we all know that we will be partaking in this activity for roughly a third of our lives. Even though we sleep a lot as babies, our total sleep time throughout life is balanced because the elderly generally do not require as much sleep as the average adult. Sleep has been found to be linked with longevity in that the amount of sleep taken is directly proportional to the life expectancy of an individual.
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation can come from pathological problems such as insomnia, it can be self-induced (from say, too much late night partying) and it can come as a form of interrogation of suspected terrorists. This last way to become sleep deprived involves keeping suspects awake for many days and then allowing them to drift off to asleep for a moment before suddenly awakening and questioning them.
Sleep deprivation is rarely linked to a cause of death but can lead to injuries (such as car crashes) and a whole list of disease such as Type II Diabetes, impaired brain function, hypertension, slowed growth and it may be a cause of obesity. And like being drunk; slurred speech, blurred vision and dizziness that come with sleep deprivation can dramatically increase the risk of accidents.
How Many Hours should We Sleep?
To satisfy the equation of longevity as mentioned above, the average adult should sleep between 7 and 9 hours a day. Those that sleep less than 4 and greater than 9 hours a day may have a 30% increased chance of early death.
It varies between people, but make sure you are getting enough sleep for your body. For example, my body functions best when I’ve had 9 hours of sleep.
If you would like to learn a bit more on sleep through some cool computer animations go to the Sleep Foundation Website.
Why Have We Evolved To Sleep?
One theory of why we sleep is to repair damaged cells and tissues so we may continue to live and prosper throughout life. Many of us know what a ‘good night’s sleep’ can do for us when we are sick. It gives our body time to rest and regenerate and so (hopefully) we will feel better in the morning.
Another theory is that sleep helps wire the neuronal connections in our brain that are involved with memory. Our brain goes over these connections like an iron to make them firmer and so we will remember slightly more the next morning. This is why you should get a decent sleep before an exam. You don’t want to be deprived of the brain’s extra help in your memory recall!
Whatever the reason is why we sleep, we all know that we will be partaking in this activity for roughly a third of our lives. Even though we sleep a lot as babies, our total sleep time throughout life is balanced because the elderly generally do not require as much sleep as the average adult. Sleep has been found to be linked with longevity in that the amount of sleep taken is directly proportional to the life expectancy of an individual.
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation can come from pathological problems such as insomnia, it can be self-induced (from say, too much late night partying) and it can come as a form of interrogation of suspected terrorists. This last way to become sleep deprived involves keeping suspects awake for many days and then allowing them to drift off to asleep for a moment before suddenly awakening and questioning them.
Sleep deprivation is rarely linked to a cause of death but can lead to injuries (such as car crashes) and a whole list of disease such as Type II Diabetes, impaired brain function, hypertension, slowed growth and it may be a cause of obesity. And like being drunk; slurred speech, blurred vision and dizziness that come with sleep deprivation can dramatically increase the risk of accidents.
How Many Hours should We Sleep?
To satisfy the equation of longevity as mentioned above, the average adult should sleep between 7 and 9 hours a day. Those that sleep less than 4 and greater than 9 hours a day may have a 30% increased chance of early death.
It varies between people, but make sure you are getting enough sleep for your body. For example, my body functions best when I’ve had 9 hours of sleep.
If you would like to learn a bit more on sleep through some cool computer animations go to the Sleep Foundation Website.
| 77 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Aimzster
Reality TV
The Jeepney Stop
First Time Mum
Comment by RachDegab
Rachdegab