Some Facts about Sleep
You might be surprised to learn that human beings spend about one third of their lives sleeping! The amount of sleep needed generally varies from one person to another. On average though, you should get a minimum of 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
During a normal night of sleep you go through about five sleep cycles. Every cycle consists of five different stages: drowsiness, light sleep, two stages of deep sleep and REM sleep. Most of your dreams occur during the REM stage when your body is immobilized (only your eyes are rapidly moving) but your brain is active.
Even though research has answered many questions about sleep, it remains unclear why we need to sleep and what function it serves. One predominant theory is that it gives your body and brain time to rest and restore energy sources. What we do know is that sufficient sleep is crucial, and that sleep deprivation can lead to serious consequences. If you get the right amount and quality of sleep every night, then you should feel rested the next morning. If not, you might be experiencing a sleep disorder or another condition and should see a doctor.
Consumption of alcohol or other substances does not help you sleep. You might find that you fall asleep more easily after having a few drinks; however, research shows that alcohol disrupts the second half of the sleep period. Drinking before going to bed therefore affects your sleep quality, causes you to wake up more frequently throughout the night, and makes it difficult to fall back asleep.
Why is Sleep Important?
Whenever you get less sleep than you need you are accumulating a sleep debt. Your body seems to be able to keep track of the hours of sleep that you missed, and the only way to make up for this debt is to get extra sleep. If you feel like sleeping in on the weekends or napping during the day then this is probably because you have accumulated a sleep debt over the week. Most of us can miss a few hours of sleep and still function normally. However, if your sleep debt becomes to high, this can lead to serious problems.
First of all, a lack of sleep will affect your mental performance: your ability to concentrate and pay attention in class, your memory, learning, and problem-solving, and even your communication skills. As a result, you may have to spend more time studying for the same results or get lower grades on your exams.
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