Having a good night sleep is very important for our health and how our body and brain function
. The body needs adequate sleep to heal and replenish itself. Without adequate sleep the body is not able to fully recover from the rigours and stresses of the previous day. This can make people overtired, irritable and unable to think or function properly.
Below are reasons why sleep is very important for us.
As well as resting the body sleep is very important by ensuring that the brain is also well rested. During the day the brain is constantly analysing information and sorting out problems. If the brain continued to do this 24 hours a day it would burn out. During sleep dreams can help the brain dump unnecessary information that was stored during the day. Dream cycles happen about 4 times during a nights sleep. If people use artificial aids such as sleeping pills to help them sleep this suppresses the ability to dream. That is why many people who take sleeping pills can feel drowsy when they wake up.
It is common to think that we need to sleep because our body is tired. However, the real reason why we need sleep is because our brains are tired. The brain is like a battery which uses a lot of power during the day and sleep is an opportunity to recharge itself. The performance of a brain that has been functioning for over 16 hours will diminish very rapidly.
A common question that people ask about sleeping is how much sleep is enough? There is no one answer to this question because the length of sleep needed is related to peoples growth rates. The younger we are the more sleep we need. It is not unusual for a baby to sleep over 16 hours. As we go into our twenties we can get by with around eight hours sleep and less as we get older. Elderly people tend to sleep the least amount of hours but sleep more frequently as many need a nap in the afternoon.
Many people have sleep disorders that include insomnia. Insomnia is usually related to stress factors. Before you go to bed it is very important that you get into a relaxed state of mind. Another factor that keeps people a wake is holding a grudge. When this happens your mind goes over numerous ways in which you have been mistreated making it impossible for you to relax and sleep effectively. Other factors that can disrupt sleep are alcohol, smoking and eating before going to bed.