importance of sleep essay

Why sleep is important

• Mental Health

Sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Yet millions of people do not get enough sleep and many suffer from lack of sleep. For example, surveys conducted by the NSF (1999-2004) reveal that at least 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more. Most of those with these problems go undiagnosed and untreated. In addition, more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month — with 20 percent reporting problem sleepiness a few days a week or more. Furthermore, 69 percent of children experience one or more sleep problems a few nights or more during a week.

According to psychologist and sleep expert David F. Dinges, Ph.D., of the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology and Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, irritability, moodiness and disinhibition are some of the first signs a person experiences from lack of sleep . If a sleep-deprived person doesn’t sleep after the initial signs, said Dinges, the person may then start to experience apathy, slowed speech and flattened emotional responses, impaired memory and an inability to be novel or multitask. As a person gets to the point of falling asleep, he or she will fall into micro sleeps (5-10 seconds) that cause lapses in attention, nod off while doing an activity like driving or reading and then finally experience hypnagogic hallucinations, the beginning of REM sleep. (Dinges, Sleep, Sleepiness and Performance , 1991)

Everyone’s individual sleep needs vary. In general, most healthy adults are built for 16 hours of wakefulness and need an average of eight hours of sleep a night. However, some individuals are able to function without sleepiness or drowsiness after as little as six hours of sleep. Others can't perform at their peak unless they've slept ten hours. And, contrary to common myth, the need for sleep doesn't decline with age but the ability to sleep for six to eight hours at one time may be reduced. (Van Dongen & Dinges, Principles & Practice of Sleep Medicine , 2000)

Psychologists and other scientists who study the causes of sleep disorders have shown that such problems can directly or indirectly be tied to abnormalities in the following systems:

Physiological systems

Brain and nervous system

Cardiovascular system

Metabolic functions

Immune system

Furthermore, unhealthy conditions, disorders and diseases can also cause sleep problems, including:

Pathological sleepiness, insomnia and accidents

Hypertension and elevated cardiovascular risks (MI, stroke)

Emotional disorders (depression, bipolar disorder)

Obesity; metabolic syndrome and diabetes

Alcohol and drug abuse (Dinges, 2004)

Groups that are at particular risk for sleep deprivation include night shift workers, physicians (average sleep = 6.5 hours a day; residents = 5 hours a day), truck drivers, parents and teenagers. (American Academy of Sleep Medicine and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Working Group on Problem Sleepiness. 1997).

Stress is the number one cause of short-term sleeping difficulties , according to sleep experts. Common triggers include school- or job-related pressures, a family or marriage problem and a serious illness or death in the family. Usually the sleep problem disappears when the stressful situation passes. However, if short-term sleep problems such as insomnia aren't managed properly from the beginning, they can persist long after the original stress has passed.

Drinking alcohol or beverages containing caffeine in the afternoon or evening, exercising close to bedtime, following an irregular morning and nighttime schedule, and working or doing other mentally intense activities right before or after getting into bed can disrupt sleep.

If you are among the 20 percent of employees in the United States who are shift workers, sleep may be particularly elusive. Shift work forces you to try to sleep when activities around you — and your own "biological rhythms" — signal you to be awake. One study shows that shift workers are two to five times more likely than employees with regular, daytime hours to fall asleep on the job.

Traveling also disrupts sleep, especially jet lag and traveling across several time zones. This can upset your biological or “circadian” rhythms.

Environmental factors such as a room that's too hot or cold, too noisy or too brightly lit can be a barrier to sound sleep. And interruptions from children or other family members can also disrupt sleep. Other influences to pay attention to are the comfort and size of your bed and the habits of your sleep partner. If you have to lie beside someone who has different sleep preferences, snores, can't fall or stay asleep, or has other sleep difficulties, it often becomes your problem too!

Having a 24/7 lifestyle can also interrupt regular sleep patterns: the global economy that includes round the clock industries working to beat the competition; widespread use of nonstop automated systems to communicate and an increase in shift work makes for sleeping at regular times difficult.

A number of physical problems can interfere with your ability to fall or stay asleep. For example, arthritis and other conditions that cause pain, backache, or discomfort can make it difficult to sleep well.

Epidemiological studies suggest self-reported sleep complaints are associated with an increased relative risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. For women, pregnancy and hormonal shifts including those that cause premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or menopause and its accompanying hot flashes can also intrude on sleep.

Finally, certain medications such as decongestants, steroids and some medicines for high blood pressure, asthma, or depression can cause sleeping difficulties as a side effect.

It is a good idea to talk to a physician or mental health provider about any sleeping problem that recurs or persists for longer than a few weeks.

According to the DSM, some psychiatric disorders have fatigue as a major symptom. Included are: major depressive disorder (includes postpartum blues), minor depression , dysthymia, mixed anxiety-depression, seasonal affective disorder and bipolar disorder .

According to a long-term study published in the 2004 April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research , young teenagers whose preschool sleep habits were poor were more than twice as likely to use drugs, tobacco or alcohol. This finding was made by the University of Michigan Health System as part of a family health study that followed 257 boys and their parents for 10 years. The study found a significant connection between sleep problems in children and later drug use, even when other issues such as depression, aggression, attention problems and parental alcoholism were taken into account. Long-term data on girls isn't available yet. The researchers suggest that early sleep problems may be a "marker" for predicting later risk of early adolescent substance abuse — and that there may be a common biological factor underlying both traits. Although the relationship between sleep problems and the abuse of alcohol in adults is well known, this is the first study to look at the issue in children.

Nightmares are dreams with vivid and disturbing content. They are common in children during REM sleep. They usually involve an immediate awakening and good recall of the dream content.

Sleep terrors are often described as extreme nightmares. Like nightmares, they most often occur during childhood, however they typically take place during non-REM (NREM) sleep. Characteristics of a sleep terror include arousal, agitation, large pupils, sweating, and increased blood pressure. The child appears terrified, screams and is usually inconsolable for several minutes, after which he or she relaxes and returns to sleep. Sleep terrors usually take place early in the night and may be combined with sleepwalking. The child typically does not remember or has only a vague memory of the terrifying events.

In the August 2004 issue of the journal Sleep , Dr. Timothy Roehrs, the Director of research at the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit published one of the first studies to measure the effect of sleepiness on decision making and risk taking. He found that sleepiness does take a toll on effective decision making.

Cited in the October 12, New York Times Science section, Dr. Roehrs and his colleagues paid sleepy and fully alert subjects to complete a series of computer tasks. At random times, they were given a choice to take their money and stop. Or they could forge ahead with the potential of either earning more money or losing it all if their work was not completed within an unknown remainder of time.

Dr. Roehrs found that the alert people were very sensitive to the amount of work they needed to do to finish the tasks and understood the risk of losing their money if they didn't. But the sleepy subjects chose to quit the tasks prematurely or they risked losing everything by trying to finish the task for more money even when it was 100 percent likely that they would be unable to finish, said Dr. Roehrs.

According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research (1998) and reports from the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA)(2002), high-profile accidents can partly be attributed to people suffering from a severe lack of sleep.

Each year the cost of sleep disorders, sleep deprivation and sleepiness, according to the NCSDR, is estimated to be $15.9 million in direct costs and $50 to $100 billion a year in indirect and related costs. And according to the NHSA, falling asleep while driving is responsible for at least 100,000 crashes, 71,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths each year in the United States. Young people in their teens and twenties, who are particularly susceptible to the effects of chronic sleep loss, are involved in more than half of the fall-asleep crashes on the nation's highways each year. Sleep loss also interferes with the learning of young people in our nation's schools, with 60 percent of grade school and high school children reporting that they are tired during the daytime and 15 percent of them admitting to falling asleep in class.

According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), one to four percent of all highway crashes are due to sleepiness, especially in rural areas and four percent of these crashes are fatal.

Risk factors for drowsy driving crashes:

Late night/early morning driving

Patients with untreated excessive sleepiness

People who obtain six or fewer hours of sleep per day

Young adult males

Commercial truck drivers

Night shift workers

Medical residents after their shift

According to sleep researchers, a night's sleep is divided into five continually shifting stages, defined by types of brain waves that reflect either lighter or deeper sleep. Toward morning, there is an increase in rapid eye movement, or REM sleep, when the muscles are relaxed and dreaming occurs, and recent memories may be consolidated in the brain. The experts say that hitting a snooze alarm over and over again to wake up is not the best way to feel rested. “The restorative value of rest is diminished, especially when the increments are short,” said psychologist Edward Stepanski, PhD who has studied sleep fragmentation at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. This on and off again effect of dozing and waking causes shifts in the brain-wave patterns. Sleep-deprived snooze-button addicts are likely to shorten their quota of REM sleep, impairing their mental functioning during the day. ( New York Times , October 12, 2004)

Certain therapies, like cognitive behavioral therapy teach people how to recognize and change patterns of thought and behavior to solve their problems. Recently this type of therapy has been shown to be very effective in getting people to fall asleep and conquer insomnia.

According to a study published in the October 2004 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine , cognitive behavior therapy is more effective and lasts longer than a widely used sleeping pill, Ambien, in reducing insomnia. The study involved 63 healthy people with insomnia who were randomly assigned to receive Ambien, the cognitive behavior therapy, both or a placebo. The patients in the therapy group received five 30-minute sessions over six weeks. They were given daily exercises to “recognize, challenge and change stress-inducing” thoughts and were taught techniques, like delaying bedtime or getting up to read if they were unable to fall asleep after 20 minutes. The patients taking Ambien were on a full dose for a month and then were weaned off the drug. At three weeks, 44 percent of the patients receiving the therapy and those receiving the combination therapy and pills fell asleep faster compared to 29 percent of the patients taking only the sleeping pills. Two weeks after all the treatment was over, the patients receiving the therapy fell asleep in half the time it took before the study and only 17 percent of the patients taking the sleeping pills fell asleep in half the time. (New York Times, October 5, 2004)

According to leading sleep researchers, there are techniques to combat common sleep problems:

Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule

Don’t drink or eat caffeine four to six hours before bed and minimize daytime use

Don’t smoke, especially near bedtime or if you awake in the night

Avoid alcohol and heavy meals before sleep

Get regular exercise

Minimize noise, light and excessive hot and cold temperatures where you sleep

Develop a regular bed time and go to bed at the same time each night

Try and wake up without an alarm clock

Attempt to go to bed earlier every night for certain period; this will ensure that you’re getting enough sleep

In clinical settings, cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) has a 70-80 percent success rate for helping those who suffer from chronic insomnia. Almost one third of people with insomnia achieve normal sleep and most reduce their symptoms by 50 percent and sleep an extra 45-60 minutes a night. When insomnia exists along with other psychological disorders like depression, say the experts, the initial treatment should address the underlying condition.

But sometimes even after resolving the underlying condition, the insomnia still exists, says psychologist Jack Edinger, PhD, of the VA Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University and cautions that treating the depression usually doesn’t resolve the sleep difficulties. From his clinical experience, he has found that most patients with insomnia should be examined for specific behaviors and thoughts that may perpetuate the sleep problems. When people develop insomnia, they try to compensate by engaging in activities to help them get more sleep. They sleep later in the mornings or spend excessive times in bed. These efforts usually backfire, said Edinger.

From his clinical work and research on sleep, psychologist Charles M. Morin, PhD, a Professor in the Psychology Department and Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at University Laval in Quebec, Canada says that ten percent of adults suffer from chronic insomnia. In a study released in the recent issue of Sleep Medicine Alert published by the NSF, Morin outlines how CBT helps people overcome insomnia. Clinicians use sleep diaries to get an accurate picture of someone’s sleep patterns. Bedtime, waking time, time to fall asleep, number and durations of awakening, actual sleep time and quality of sleep are documented by the person suffering from insomnia.

A person can develop poor sleep habits (i.e. watching TV in bed or eating too much before bedtime), irregular sleep patterns (sleeping too late, taking long naps during the day) to compensate for lost sleep at night. Some patients also develop a fear of not sleeping and a pattern of worrying about the consequences of not sleeping, said Morin. “Treatments that address the poor sleep habits and the faulty beliefs and attitudes about sleep work but sometimes,” said Morin, “medication may play a role in breaking the cycle of insomnia. But behavioral therapies are essential for patients to alter the conditions that perpetuate it.”

CBT attempts to change a patient’s dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep. “It restructure thoughts — like, ‘I’ve got to sleep eight hours tonight’ or ‘I’ve got to take medication to sleep’ or ‘I just can’t function or I’ll get sick if I don’t sleep.’ These thoughts focus too much on sleep, which can become something like performance anxiety — sleep will come around to you when you’re not chasing it,” said Edinger.

What works in many cases, said Morin and Edinger, is to standardize or restrict a person’s sleep to give a person more control over his or her sleep. A person can keep a sleep diary for a couple of weeks and a clinician can monitor the amount of time spent in bed to the actual amount of time sleeping. Then the clinician can instruct the patient to either go to bed later and get up earlier or visa versa. This procedure improves the length of sleeping time by imposing a mild sleep deprivation situation, which has the result of reducing the anxiety surrounding sleep. To keep from falling asleep during the day, patients are told not to restrict sleep to less than five hours.

Standardizing sleep actually helps a person adjust his or her homeostatic mechanism that balances sleep, said Edinger. “Therefore, if you lose sleep, your homeostatic mechanism will kick in and will work to increase the likelihood of sleeping longer and deeper to promote sleep recovery. This helps a person come back to their baseline and works for the majority.”

A person can also establish more stimulus control over his or her bedroom environment, said Morin. This could include: going to bed only when sleepy, getting out of bed when unable to sleep, prohibiting non-sleep activities in the bedroom, getting up at the same time every morning (including weekends) and avoiding daytime naps.

Finally, a person can incorporate relaxation techniques as part of his or her treatment. For example, a person can give herself or himself an extra hour before bed to relax and unwind and time to write down worries and plans for the following day.

In CBT, said Morin, breaking the thought process and anxiety over sleep is the goal. “After identifying the dysfunctional thought patterns, a clinician can offer alternative interpretations of what is getting the person anxious so a person can think about his or her insomnia in a different way.” Morin offers some techniques to restructure a person’s cognitions. “Keep realistic expectations, don’t blame insomnia for all daytime impairments, do not feel that losing a night’s sleep will bring horrible consequences, do not give too much importance to sleep and finally develop some tolerance to the effects of lost sleep.

According to Edinger, aging weakens a person’s homeostatic sleep drive after age 50. Interestingly, the length of the circadian cycle stays roughly the same over the lifespan but the amplitude of the circadian rhythm may decline somewhat with aging.

National Sleep Foundation http://www.thensf.org

American Academy of Sleep Medicine http://www.aasmnet.org/

American Insomnia Association http://www.americaninsomniaassociation.org/

Sleep Research Society http://www.sleepresearchsociety.org/

NIH National Center for Sleep Disorders Research http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sleep

The MayoClinic.com Sleep Center

(Blake, et al, Psychological Reports, 1998; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Working Group on Insomnia, 1998)

David F. Dinges, PhD , Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, Chief, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Jack Edinger, PhD , of the VA Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University

Charles M. Morin, PhD , a Professor in the Psychology Department and Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at University Laval in Quebec, Canada

Timothy Roehrs, PhD , the Director of Research, Sleep Disorders and Research Center at Henry Ford Hospital

Edward Stepanski, PhD , who has studied sleep fragmentation at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago

Related Reading

• Getting a good night’s sleep: How psychologists help with insomnia
• What to Do When You Dread Your Bed

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

A Plus Topper

Improve your Grades

Importance of Sleep Essay | Essay on Importance of Sleep for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Importance of Sleep Essay:  Sleep is one of the most important things you need to do for your body because it is your body’s way of recharging its batteries. When you begin to feel sleepy at night, it means that you have reached the limit that your body has, and you should sleep so that you do not over-exert yourself.

Many people don’t get enough sleep at night, mostly because so many of us have turned into night owls who love to do so many things at night instead of the daytime. These are terrible habits, and we must learn to get rid of them by paying attention to the importance of sleep. For example, a bad habit like this would be watching TV shows late at night despite knowing that we have to wake up early the next morning.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Importance of Sleep for Students and Kids in English

Let’s look at some essays of different, increasing word lengths to know and understand the importance of sleep. These ‘Importance of Sleep’ Essays can also be like your inspiration to write your essay about the same.

Short Essay on Importance of Sleep 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Importance of Computer is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

When we sleep, the brain recharges itself and heals our bodies in whichever parts we need healing. When we sleep, our blood vessels and circulatory system heal themselves. If you have a bruise, you will notice that it has healed a little bit when you go to sleep and wake up in the morning. Sleep does the same thing for the rest of the body as well, and it is essential to allow your batteries to charge while you heal yourself.

Many of us struggle with our sleep because of the prevalence of mobile phones and other addictive screens in our lives. Some severe problems can enter our lives when we do not get enough sleep. This can range from mental health problems like depression and anxiety to even physical ailments and issues like diabetes, cardiac arrest, obesity, high blood pressure, etc. We must be careful and get a good 6-8 hours of sleep every night.

The average hours that one adult should be sleeping every night is 8 hours, or you can give or take one or two hours. The problem with all the generations in the world is that there are so many disturbances around us that can easily distract us from what is essential. One such example of this is mobile phones – it is easy to get addicted to mobile phones that contain an entire world and keep scrolling through it instead of going to sleep.

It is essential to understand the reason why sleep is vital. Getting enough sleep helps heal your bodies from any pain or injuries; it betters your immune system, cognitive memory, and thinking capacity. Furthermore, getting adequate sleep is vital for keeping our hearts and other systems clean and with a good bill of health. Without getting a good number of hours worth of sleep at night, we are putting ourselves at the risk of mental health disruptions as well as physical disorders and problems such as depression, anxiety, heart attacks, obesity (leading to various other issues), and even exhaustion which can ultimately disrupt one’s life. We must get enough sleep to look and feel fresh and healthy every day.

Introduction

Many of us do not realise the importance that a good night’s sleep holds in our lives. It is so important to sleep well at night to prevent us from getting health problems which can be disruptive for our whole lives. Let’s talk a little bit more about the importance of sleep in our lives.

Healthy Living with Good Sleep

It is essential to sleep well to live a healthy life. There are many health benefits of getting a good night’s sleep, and there are many hindrances to when you don’t get a good night’s sleep. The benefits of good sleep are that it can boost your immune system, boost your cardiovascular health, improve our abilities to think and remember things more clearly, and contain our mental health by preventing some symptoms of anxiety and depression. Sleep also helps us out with containing our exhaustion of course, the best thing to do when you are tired is to go to sleep and regain the energy you need to carry forth with your life. Most importantly, sleeping well and sleeping enough helps prevent obesity, diabetes, heart problems, and various other issues.

We must all sleep for about 8 hours in our adult lives. It can be about an hour less or an hour more, but think about it this way – you must spend about one third to one-fourth of your day recharging your batteries to get ready for the remainder of the days.

You can also read many interesting facts equipped about the importance of sleep essay furthermore in the given here, Importance of sleep essay. Never miss it!

Importance of Sleep Essay 400 Words in English

Sleep is one of the most essential and inevitable things that we have to do in our lives. Whether you eat food or drink water, sleep is inevitable because it’s what the body does naturally. Sometimes it can be tough to get a full night’s sleep, but it is imperative to try.

The Trio of Good Health

We can deny nothing about the fact that there are three things we need to improve our lives – a good diet with tonnes of nutrition, an exercise routine, and, of course, a good night’s sleep every day. These are the three things that are very imperative in our lives to inculcate and follow. Sleeping well has impressive health benefits, such as improving our cardiovascular health and preventing obesity, which even come a lot of other problems. A balanced diet filled with nutritious foods helps us remain fit and healthy, and a good exercise plan will be good for the same, too. Sleeping enough also helps us out with our strength and performance during exercise. Thus, it is a good cycle that we should create for ourselves.

Benefits of Good Sleep

There are several benefits of getting a good sleep at night. It helps you maintain your body weight so that you do not become obese and add to this; there’s also the fact that people who sleep well at night often eat less than those who don’t, which also helps with the weight. Getting adequate sleep also increases your productivity by making you feel more energetic and giving you the time you need to rest. It also helps our lives be in a good mood, and good sleep puts a person in a good mood. Sleeping enough also allows our minds to function correctly and in a better way. Thus we can think better, and we also have a better memory power upon sleeping enough.

Getting adequate sleep is incredibly vital to our mental health and physical well-being. If we do not get enough sleep, we might get burnt out and not be able to carry out our lives in the way that we should be able to. Without the ability to do this, life can become painful and full of difficulties that may become complex over time. Thus, we must all take the initiative in our own lives to sleep on time and wake up on time to prevent any mental or physical blockages and hindrances.

Long Essay on Importance of Sleep 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Importance of Computer is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Sleep is one of the most essential parts of our lives; still, most of us neglect it as though there’s nothing wrong with that. It is understandable that we barely ever get any time to rest when we have a hectic life. For so many of us workaholics, sleeping can even seem like something you can do later, that there are more things you can do in the time that you could be sleeping. However, working like this may be alright for a short while, but not getting enough sleep for a long-stretched period has been found to have terrible effects on the body in the long run. We must all learn how to take care of ourselves, and this begins by forming a good routine with an adequate amount of sleep inculcated in it, alongside a good diet and regular exercise.

It is a lesser-known fact that sleeping well and sleeping a fair amount of hours when we are supposed to supplements the maintenance of our weight – this means that if you sleep better, you’re less likely to put on more weight! This is corroborated because those who sleep more need fewer calories to function in a day, as they are more refreshed and energised and thus require less food to keep them afloat throughout the day calories mean less weight.

Sleep is when our body and brains regenerate, meaning that your blood vessels and your heart and the other parts of your body heal themselves while you are sleeping. Think about it this way – you are not doing anything, your eyes are closed, and at this time, your brain has no other work because you are not conscious of doing anything in particular that the brain needs to function for. Thus, this is the best time for your body to heal itself. You’ll notice that when you wake up after getting an injury the previous day, the bruises may have already begun to heal – scabs are created in the process of healing through the night while you sleep. Thus, sleep is so crucial for healing the body.

Getting your good 7-9 hours of sleep every night is imperative for our bodies to work well the next day. Sleeping removes the tiredness from our bodies, and it rejuvenates and re-energises us for the next day. With adequate sleep, we can focus on our work better, we can do more things in our day to make it more productive, and we will be able to think, read and do everything else much better through the course of the day with good sleep.

What Happens When We Don’t Sleep Well?

Not sleeping enough is one of the worst things that a person can do to their bodies. As mentioned before, sleeping is great for rejuvenating our bodies and healing our systems inside. So, it is the complete opposite that takes place when we don’t get enough sleep.

If we do not get enough sleep at night, we will end up with terrible health. Most of us end up binge-watching television shows, movies, and even things like YouTube videos at night, and we usually do this at night because, in the daytime, we generally remain busy with other things, like school, office, other work, running errands, and stuff like that. We all think that because we do a lot of work in the daytime, the nighttime is, in a way, free time for us to do as we want. However, this is not the right way to go about life.

We need to get enough sleep because, without it, our blood vessels and heart and other organs as such will stop healing by themselves. Without adequate sleep daily, our minds will always be occupied by one thing or another, especially about how tired we all may feel, and how we want to sleep. Sadly, many us don’t even realise this, and go about their day without sleeping much without knowing how it can affect them in the long run.

Risks for all kinds of health issues, including physical and mental health go up manifold without getting a good night’s sleep every day. Depression, anxiety, stress disorders, sleep disorders, heart attacks, diabetes, obesity, etc. are just a few of the dangers that come from not sleeping well at night.

How Should I Get More Sleep?

Good sleep does not necessarily mean that you get your 8 hours a night of sleep, which is enough. No, that is not enough – it also matters that the quality of this sleep is good. If you go to sleep with your mind disturbed, you will have disturbed sleeping – maybe you will have trouble falling off to sleep in the first place, or even keep on waking up at night because of nightmares and similar things.

The best ways to get some great sleep at night would be to turn off your phone early, maybe at 10 pm or 11 pm, and only turn it back on when you wake up in the morning, possibly at 7 am to 8 am. This is the best way to get more sleep.

• Picture Dictionary
• English Speech
• English Slogans
• English Letter Writing
• English Essay Writing
• English Textbook Answers
• Types of Certificates
• ICSE Solutions
• Selina ICSE Solutions
• ML Aggarwal Solutions
• HSSLive Plus One
• HSSLive Plus Two
• Kerala SSLC
• Distance Education

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Heart-Healthy Living
• High Blood Pressure
• Sleep Apnea
• Information & Resources on COVID-19
• The Heart Truth®
• Learn More Breathe Better®
• Blood Diseases & Disorders Education Program
• Publications and Resources
• Clinical Trials
• Blood Disorders and Blood Safety
• Sleep Science and Sleep Disorders
• Lung Diseases
• Health Disparities and Inequities
• Heart and Vascular Diseases
• Precision Medicine Activities
• Obesity, Nutrition, and Physical Activity
• Population and Epidemiology Studies
• Women’s Health
• Research Topics
• All Science A-Z
• Grants and Training Home
• Policies and Guidelines
• Funding Opportunities and Contacts
• Training and Career Development
• Email Alerts
• NHLBI in the Press
• Research Features
• Ask a Scientist
• Past Events
• Upcoming Events
• Mission and Strategic Vision
• Divisions, Offices and Centers
• Advisory Committees
• Budget and Legislative Information
• Jobs and Working at the NHLBI
• Contact and FAQs
• NIH Sleep Research Plan
• Health Topics
• < Back To How Sleep Works
• Why Is Sleep Important?
• How Sleep Works
• Your Sleep/Wake Cycle
• Sleep Phases and Stages
• How Much Sleep Is Enough?

MORE INFORMATION

How Sleep Works Why Is Sleep Important?

Language switcher.

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. The way you feel while you are awake depends in part on what happens while you are sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health.

In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development. Getting inadequate sleep over time can raise your risk for chronic (long-term) health problems. It can also affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others. Learn how sleep affects your heart and circulatory system, metabolism , respiratory system, and immune system and how much sleep is enough.

This brochure describes the differences between the types of sleep needed to feel awake and to be healthy and offers tips for getting a good night’s sleep.

Heart and circulatory system

When you fall asleep and enter non-REM sleep , your blood pressure and heart rate fall. During sleep, your parasympathetic system controls your body, and your heart does not work as hard as it does when you are awake. During REM sleep and when waking, your sympathetic system is activated, increasing your heart rate and blood pressure to the usual levels when you are awake and relaxed. A sharp increase in blood pressure and heart rate upon waking has been linked to angina, or chest pain, and heart attacks .

People who do not sleep enough or wake up often during the night may have a higher risk of:

• Coronary heart disease
• High blood pressure

Hormones and sleep

Your body makes different Hormone at different times of day. This may be related to your sleep pattern or your circadian clocks. In the morning, your body releases hormones that promote alertness, such as cortisol, which helps you wake up. Other hormones have 24-hour patterns that vary throughout your life; for example, in children, the hormones that tell the glands to release testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone are made in pulses at night, and the pulses get bigger as puberty approaches.

Metabolism and sleep

The way your body handles fat varies according to various circadian clocks, including those in the liver, fat, and muscle. For example, the circadian clocks make sure that your liver is prepared to help digest fats at appropriate times. Your body may handle fat differently if you eat at unusual times.

Studies have shown that not getting enough quality sleep can lead to:

• Higher levels of the hormones that control hunger, including leptin and ghrelin, inside your body
• Decreased ability to respond to insulin
• Increased consumption of food, especially fatty, sweet, and salty foods
• Decreased physical activity
• Metabolic syndrome

All of these contribute to overweight and obesity .

Respiratory and immune systems

During sleep, you breathe less often and less deeply and take in less oxygen. These changes can cause problems in people who have health problems such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) . Asthma symptoms are usually worse during early morning sleep. Likewise, breathing problems in people who have lung diseases such as COPD can become worse during sleep.

Sleep also affects different parts of your immune system, which become more active at different times of day. For example, when you sleep, a particular type of immune cell works harder. That is why people who do not sleep enough may be more likely to get colds and other infections.

Lung Health Basics: Sleep

People with lung disease often have  trouble sleeping. Sleep is critical to overall health, so take the first step to sleeping better: learn these sleep terms, and find out about treatments that can help with sleep apnea.

Problems with thinking and memory

Sleep helps with learning and the formation of long-term memories. Not getting enough sleep or enough high-quality sleep can lead to problems focusing on tasks and thinking clearly. Read our Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency page for more information on how lack of sleep affects performance of daily activities, including driving and schoolwork.

Essay on Importance of Sleep

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance of Sleep in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Importance of Sleep

Understanding sleep.

Sleep is a crucial part of our lives. It helps us rest, rejuvenate, and prepare for the next day. Without sleep, our bodies and minds cannot function properly.

Why is Sleep Important?

Sleep contributes to our overall health. It allows our brain to process information and memories. It also gives our body time to repair and grow.

Effects of Lack of Sleep

Lack of sleep can lead to health issues like heart disease and obesity. It also affects our mood, making us feel irritable and stressed.

So, quality sleep is essential for our well-being. Make sleep a priority to stay healthy and happy.

250 Words Essay on Importance of Sleep

The necessity of sleep, role in physical health.

Sleep plays a significant role in the body’s healing and repair processes, particularly for the heart and blood vessels. Chronic sleep deficiency is linked to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. Furthermore, it aids in maintaining a healthy balance of hormones that regulate feelings of hunger and satiety, thereby indirectly influencing our body weight and food choices.

Cognitive Function and Emotional Well-being

Sleep is vital for various aspects of brain function. This includes cognition, concentration, productivity, and performance. During sleep, your brain forms new pathways to help you learn and remember information. A good night’s sleep improves problem-solving skills and enhances memory. Lack of sleep impairs these functions, leading to decreased productivity and increased mistakes.

The Impact on Mental Health

Sleep deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of developing mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and mood swings. Sleep helps reset our emotional brain circuits, allowing us to manage daily stress and adapt to change.

In conclusion, sleep is not a luxury, but a necessity. It’s a vital part of our lives that impacts our physical health, cognitive function, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. Recognizing the importance of sleep and making necessary adjustments to prioritize it is a crucial step towards improved health and productivity.

500 Words Essay on Importance of Sleep

The importance of sleep: an underrated aspect of health.

Sleep, often overlooked, is a crucial aspect of our overall health and well-being. In our fast-paced society, sleep is frequently sacrificed for more seemingly productive activities, however, this neglect can have serious health consequences.

The Science of Sleep

The health implications of sleep deprivation.

Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to a host of health problems. Physically, it can increase the risk of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. It weakens the immune system, making one more susceptible to infections. Neurologically, lack of sleep can impair cognition, memory, and mood. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can lead to decreased concentration, memory lapses, loss of creativity, and mood swings. Furthermore, chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Sleep and Academic Performance

For college students, sleep is especially important. Numerous studies have demonstrated a correlation between sleep and academic performance. Adequate sleep can enhance learning and memory, improve concentration, and boost creativity, all of which are crucial for academic success. Conversely, sleep deprivation can impede these cognitive functions, leading to decreased academic performance.

Improving Sleep Quality

In conclusion, sleep is a crucial aspect of health that is often undervalued. The implications of sleep deprivation are far-reaching, affecting physical health, mental health, and cognitive functions. As college students, it is essential to prioritize sleep to maintain overall health and optimize academic performance. By understanding the importance of sleep and adopting good sleep hygiene practices, we can reap the benefits of this vital physiological process.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Type 2 Diabetes

Heart Disease

• Digestive Health
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Diet & Nutrition
• Health Insurance
• Public Health
• Patient Rights
• Caregivers & Loved Ones
• End of Life Concerns
• Health News
• Thyroid Test Analyzer
• Doctor Discussion Guides
• Hemoglobin A1c Test Analyzer
• Lipid Test Analyzer
• Complete Blood Count (CBC) Analyzer
• What to Buy
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Why a Good Night’s Sleep Is Important for Your Health

• Restoration
• Stress Reduction
• Body Weight
• Illness Prevention
• Mental Health

How to Improve Your Sleep

Sleep is important due to the impact it has on your overall health. Appropriate sleep is needed for mental focus and memory, managing stress, maintaining proper body weight, boosting the immune system, and a host of other wellness needs. Some studies suggest sleep can help to prevent illness, such as diabetes or obesity .

Adults aged 18 to 60 years should get at least seven hours of sleep each night in order to achieve the benefits of sleep. If not, you run the risk of becoming sleep-deprived .

This article explains the role of sleep in overall health and offers tips on how to improve your sleep. Research on sleep and sleep cycles has elevated awareness about sleep hygiene (healthy sleep habits) and the quality of sleep.

 Illustration by Emily Roberts for Verywell Health

Sleep Is Restorative

When you sleep, you allow your body to repair and rebuild. During this time, the body is able to clear debris from the lymphatic system, which boosts the immune system.

While you sleep, there are many important processes that happen, including:

• Muscle repair
• Protein synthesis
• Tissue growth
• Hormone release

Sleep Reduces Stress

Sleep is a powerful stress reliever. It improves concentration, regulates mood, and sharpens judgment and decision-making. A lack of sleep not only reduces mental clarity but the ability to cope with stressful situations.

This is due, in part, to changes in cortisol levels. Typically, your cortisol levels fall in the evening hours, as one element of the body’s natural preparation for sleep. When sleep is lost, cortisol levels remain high and interfere with the release of melatonin, a hormone that is essential for the regulation of sleep-wake cycles.

Some studies suggest these changes could even be used to evaluate depression in people with bipolar disorder. Other studies demonstrate a link between sleep, chronic stress, and depression with an eye on heart rate changes.

Sleep Improves Your Memory

The link between sleep and memory processing is well established. Sleep serves as an opportunity for the mind to process all the stimuli taken in while awake. It triggers changes in the brain that strengthen neural connections helping us to form memories.

Sleep quality is important when learning new information and using memory. Numerous research studies find that electrophysiological, neurochemical, and genetic mechanisms that take place during the slow-wave sleep stage of sleep are key.

Sleep Helps You Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

When you are sleep deprived, your body alters the hormones that regulate hunger and appetite. These hormones include:

• Leptin: This hormone suppresses appetite and encourages the body to expend energy.
• Ghrelin: This hormone triggers feelings of hunger.

Both of these hormones are thrown off when you are short on sleep—leptin goes down and ghrelin goes up. Obstructive sleep apnea , a serious sleep disorder, is linked with obesity as well.

Sleep and Appetite

Sleep deprivation can activate the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in the brain (the same areas activated by marijuana) which increases hunger and appetite. Stimulating the eCB reward system makes you more likely to crave junk food.  You are also more likely to make these unhealthy lifestyle choices when you are tired. If that's often the case, it can lead to weight gain or diabetes over time.  

Sleep May Prevent Illnesses

Sleep deprivation can have very detrimental health impacts and has been linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Here are some of the health conditions in which it may play a role.

Respiratory Illness and Infection

Lack of sleep makes you more vulnerable to respiratory illness and infection. A study of more than 600,000 people found that insomnia was a contributing cause when catching a cold or the flu , as well as a factor in how severe the infection became.

Obstructive sleep apnea, a common sleep disturbance, is linked with a number of cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) diseases. For example, 40% to 60% of people experiencing symptomatic heart failure also are diagnosed with sleep-disordered breathing.

Other heart conditions linked with sleep apnea include:

• Coronary artery disease
• Pulmonary hypertension
• High blood pressure
• Heart arrhythmias

There's no direct evidence to suggest that sleep quantity or quality affects the risk of cancer, although studies have looked at the role of sleep in developing breast cancer , lung cancer , and more.

For example, research on lung cancer suggests a relationship between lack of sleep and adenocarcinoma risk, but more research on sleep traits (how long you sleep, whether you take naps) is needed.

Studies also are exploring the role of sleep in those already diagnosed with cancer, especially because difficulty sleeping affects up to 95% of people receiving cancer treatment and care. Sleep deprivation may affect the body's ability to fight cancer and lead to a poor prognosis, which was the conclusion of researchers focused on liver cancer .

A number of studies have shown that sleep deprivation leads to reduced glucose tolerance and impaired insulin sensitivity in humans. Additional studies suggest the risk of type 2 diabetes rises due to inadequate sleep, with seven or eight hours considered the optimal amount.

Researchers also think the timing of sleep may have impacts, too. Disruptions in circadian rhythm, with many people working at night or otherwise "living against the clock" of natural sleep cycles, also have impacts. Sleep disruption appears to affect metabolism and related diseases.

Neurodegenerative Disease

Sleep plays a key role in how your body produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), what it's composed of, and how the CSF is distributed in your brain and spinal cord. A number of studies have looked at how components in CSF, like amyloid-beta levels, might be linked to Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

The research results are mixed, but there is evidence to suggest that sleep patterns affect levels of amyloid-beta, orexin, tau proteins, interleukin 8 (IL-8), and other components. This may influence the development of Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's disease, or it may contribute to sleep disruptions that are common in people living with these disorders.

Researchers also are investigating the role of CSF, sleep, and the early development of autism .

Sleep Is Important for Your Mental Health

Evidence suggests lack of sleep contributes to the formation of new mental health problems and to the maintenance of existing ones, but the magnitude of its effect is difficult to estimate and may be different across mental health conditions.

Sleep problems are very common in those with mental illness. In fact, disrupted sleep is commonly seen as both a symptom and consequence of mental health disorders, although sleep deprivation is rarely treated as the cause of mental health conditions.

The most common sleep problem associated with poor mental health is insomnia, with symptoms of:

• Not feeling well-rested after a night's sleep
• Daytime tiredness or sleepiness
• Irritability, depression, or anxiety
• Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks, or remembering
• Increased errors or accidents
• Ongoing worries about sleep

You may experience insomnia for a number of reasons, but the most common culprits are: 

• Work schedule
• Poor sleep habits
• Excessive alcohol or caffeine use at night 
• Habitual nighttime screen use

Illustration by JR Bee for Verywell Health

Small changes to your nighttime routine can result in a huge health benefit:

• Establish a realistic bedtime and stick to it every night, even on the weekends.
• Maintain comfortable temperature settings and low light levels in your bedroom.
• Consider a “screen ban” on televisions, computers and tablets, cell phones, and other electronic devices in your bedroom.
• Abstain from caffeine, alcohol, and large meals in the hours leading up to bedtime.
• Refrain from using tobacco at any time of day or night.
• Exercise during the day; this can help you wind down in the evening and prepare for sleep.

Sleep is vital to maintaining health, and most adults need seven or more hours each day. There is increasing evidence that adequate, high-quality sleep can help prevent illnesses like respiratory infection as well as limit the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other serious conditions.

Memory, mood, and mental health also are affected by sleep deprivation and other sleep disorders.

There are lifestyle steps you can take to improve sleep. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns or questions about how sleep patterns are affecting your health.

Antza C, Kostopoulos G, Mostafa S, Nirantharakumar K, Tahrani A. The links between sleep duration, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus . J Endocrinol . 2021 Dec 13;252(2):125-141. doi:10.1530/JOE-21-0155.

Watson NF, Badr MS, Belenky G, Bliwise DL, Buxton OM, Buysse D, et al . Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society . Sleep . 2015 Jun 1;38(6):843-4. doi:10.5665/sleep.4716.

Chong PLH, Garic D, Shen MD, Lundgaard I, Schwichtenberg AJ. Sleep, cerebrospinal fluid, and the glymphatic system: A systematic review . Sleep Med Rev . 2022 Feb;61:101572. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101572. 

Walker WH 2nd, Walton JC, DeVries AC, Nelson RJ. Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health . Transl Psychiatry . 2020 Jan 23;10(1):28. doi:10.1038/s41398-020-0694-0. 

da Estrela C, McGrath J, Booij L, Gouin JP. Heart Rate Variability, Sleep Quality, and Depression in the Context of Chronic Stress . Ann Behav Med . 2021 Mar 16;55(2):155-164. doi:10.1093/abm/kaaa039.

Tucker MA, Humiston GB, Summer T, Wamsley E. Comparing the effects of sleep and rest on memory consolidation . Nature and Science of Sleep . 2020 Feb 3;12:79-91. doi:10.2147/NSS.S223917

Rasch B, Born J. About sleep’s role in memory .  Physiological Reviews . 2013;93(2):681-766. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00032.2012 

Chaput JP, McHill AW, Cox RC, Broussard JL, Dutil C, da Costa BGG, Sampasa-Kanyinga H, Wright KP Jr. The role of insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment in obesity . Nat Rev Endocrinol . 2023 Feb;19(2):82-97. doi:10.1038/s41574-022-00747-7.

Yeghiazarians Y, Jneid H, Tietjens JR, Redline S, Brown DL, El-Sherif N, et al . Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association . Circulation . 2021 Jul 20;144(3):e56-e67. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000988.

Hanlon EC, Tasali E, Leproult R, Stuhr KL, Doncheck E, de Wit H, Hillard CJ, Van Cauter E.  Sleep restriction enhances the daily rhythm of circulating levels of endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol . 2016 Mar 1;39(3):653-64. doi:10.5665/sleep.5546

Jones SE, Maisha FI, Strausz SJ, Lammi V, Cade BE, Tervi A, et al . The public health impact of poor sleep on severe COVID-19, influenza and upper respiratory infections . EBioMedicine . 2023 Jul;93:104630. doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104630

Wang J, Tang H, Duan Y, Yang S, An J. Association between Sleep Traits and Lung Cancer: A Mendelian Randomization Study . J Immunol Res . 2021 Jun 21;2021:1893882. doi:10.1155/2021/1893882. 

Büttner-Teleagă A, Kim YT, Osel T, Richter K. Sleep Disorders in Cancer-A Systematic Review . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2021 Nov 7;18(21):11696. doi:10.3390/ijerph182111696.

Huang J, Song P, Hang K, Chen Z, Zhu Z, Zhang Y, et al . Sleep Deprivation Disturbs Immune Surveillance and Promotes the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma . Front Immunol . 2021 Sep 3;12:727959. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.727959.

Parameswaran G, Ray DW. Sleep, circadian rhythms, and type 2 diabetes mellitus . Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) . 2022 Jan;96(1):12-20. doi:10.1111/cen.14607. 

Chasens ER, Imes CC, Kariuki JK, Luyster FS, Morris JL, DiNardo MM, et al . Sleep and Metabolic Syndrome . Nurs Clin North Am . 2021 Jun;56(2):203-217. doi:10.1016/j.cnur.2020.10.012.

Scott AJ, Webb TL, Rowse G. Does improving sleep lead to better mental health? A protocol for a meta-analytic review of randomised controlled trials . BMJ Open. 2017;7(9):e016873. Published 2017 Sep 18. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016873

By Shamard Charles, MD, MPH Shamard Charles, MD, MPH is a public health physician and journalist. He has held positions with major news networks like NBC reporting on health policy, public health initiatives, diversity in medicine, and new developments in health care research and medical treatments.

The Role of Sleep in Humans’ Well-Being Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Brief summaries of videos, the valuable information obtained from videos.

Sleep is considered one of the most important parts of any individual’s life. Some researchers emphasize the usefulness of sleep for productivity, while others focus on its impact on people’s health. The present paper will offer several different opinions on the role that sleep plays in the satisfaction of humans’ well-being. A brief overview of four videos will be followed by a discussion of the lessons that should be taken from the speeches.

Each of the speakers in the videos focuses on a different characteristic of sleep, but all of them agree that without enough sleep, one does not perform to the fullest potential. Arianna Huffington (2010) analyzes sleep as a crucial constituent of happiness. In her speech, Huffington (2010) mentions that sleep deprivation can lead to detrimental outcomes and describes her own negative example of not receiving enough rest. The speaker remarks that women are more likely to arrange the revolution of sleep because, for men, sleep deprivation has become “a virility symbol” (Huffington, 2010). Thus, this speech stresses the importance of sleep and considers women as the most probable change agents in the sleep revolution.

Another speech given by a woman is not focused on feminism. Jessa Gamble (2010) considers sleep as a vital element of humans’ body clocks. In her presentation, Gamble (2010) offers several examples of how people’s sleep habits are correspondent with animals’ chemical clocks. Sleep is thus associated with culture, and the role of sleep in the establishment of a healthy lifestyle is underlined in the speech.

The other two videos present researchers’ talks on sleep and its functions. Russel Foster (2013), a neuroscientist, explains why people need sleep and what can happen when they disregard this vital behavioral experience. In his speech, Foster (2013) provides numerous examples of how people treated sleep at different times and notes that individuals’ ignorance about sleep is too big. Therefore, from the neuroscientist’s point of view, not only the duration of sleep but also its quality is highly important.

The last speech is focused on unique functions of the brain that can only be performed while one is asleep. Jeff Iliff (2014) remarks that during sleep, brain vessels “clear away waste,” which is impossible to do while being awake. Thus, it is crucial for people to have enough sleep for their brain to receive time for restoration. Appropriate brain rest helps to avoid serious disease and enables individuals to discover the full potential of their brain.

Although all speakers analyze sleep from different points of view, they all agree that it is highly significant for people to have a sufficient amount of rest. The videos give information on the value of sleep for health, safety, happiness, academic achievement, and other aspects without which it would be impossible for individuals to live successfully. The most crucial data is given by Iliff (2014) and Foster (2013). These two speakers provide a detailed account of neurological processes taking place in the brain and explain a variety of functions that sleep deprivation can obstruct or eliminate. In particular, scholars remark that the brain does not sleep when the organism is resting. A variety of genes work only during sleep (Foster, 2013; Iliff, 2014). Therefore, sleep is needed not only for restoration but also for the productive work of the organism on the next day. Both Iliff (2014) and Foster (2013) compare the need to clear the brain at night to the need to clean one’s house. Neither of the two kinds of “chores” can be put off for a long time since postponing them would cause inconvenience and discomfort. Thus, from the scientific point of view, sleep is highly important for the brain.

Irrespective of their profession and connection with science, all four speakers emphasize the positive effect of sleep on the well-being of any person. Huffington (2010) mentions that having enough sleep makes individuals more inspired and productive. Gamble (2010) remarks that a body clock is crucial for organizing one’s life successfully. Iliff (2014) notes that the clarity of the mind helps to sustain one’s body in harmony. Foster (2013) explains that at every age, people’s sleep needs are different, but these requirements are frequently higher than people allow themselves to spend sleeping. Particular attention is paid to the negative impact of shift work on one’s sleep pattern (Foster, 2013; Gambler, 2010). Therefore, all speakers urge the audience to review their attitude to sleep and start having enough rest to become healthier and happier.

Sleep is a rather significant component of any individual’s existence. The videos give insight into the most intricate aspects of neural processes and explain why it is not acceptable to sleep too little. All speakers focus on the importance of sleep for people’s health, productivity, and happiness. Watching these videos helps to realize how thoughtless people sometimes are and how necessary it is for them to alter some of their habits in order to be strong both physically and morally.

Foster, R. (2013). Why do we sleep? [Video file]. Web.

Gamble, J. (2010). Our natural sleep cycle is nothing like what we do now . [Video file]. Web.

Huffington, A. (2010). How to succeed? Get more sleep [Video file]. Web.

Iliff, J. (2014). One more reason to get a good night’s sleep [Video file]. Web.

• Sleep Helps to Repair Damaged DNA in Neurons
• Elderly Dementia: Holistic Approaches to Memory Care
• Harris’s “Can We Build AI…?” Talk: Rhetorical Analysis
• The Hemispheres Adaptability to Function Independently
• Evolution of the Clock
• Neurological Disorders and Differential Diagnoses
• The Concept of Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex
• Dancing and Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
• Parkinson’s Disease: Neurotransmitter Chart
• Alcohol and It Effects on Brain Functioning
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, June 19). The Role of Sleep in Humans' Well-Being. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-sleep-in-humans-well-being/

"The Role of Sleep in Humans' Well-Being." IvyPanda , 19 June 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-sleep-in-humans-well-being/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'The Role of Sleep in Humans' Well-Being'. 19 June.

IvyPanda . 2021. "The Role of Sleep in Humans' Well-Being." June 19, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-sleep-in-humans-well-being/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Role of Sleep in Humans' Well-Being." June 19, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-sleep-in-humans-well-being/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Role of Sleep in Humans' Well-Being." June 19, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-sleep-in-humans-well-being/.

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

• Basic site functions
• Ensuring secure, safe transactions
• Secure account login
• Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
• Remembering privacy and security settings
• Analyzing site traffic and usage
• Personalized search, content, and recommendations
• Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

• Remembering general and regional preferences
• Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .

A monthly newsletter from the National Institutes of Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Search form

Print this issue

Good Sleep for Good Health

Get the Rest You Need

Sometimes, the pace of modern life barely gives you time to stop and rest. It can make getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis seem like a dream.

But sleep is as important for good health as diet and exercise. Good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health.

Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of many diseases and disorders. These range from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia.

There’s more to good sleep than just the hours spent in bed, says Dr. Marishka Brown, a sleep expert at NIH. “Healthy sleep encompasses three major things,” she explains. “One is how much sleep you get. Another is sleep quality—that you get uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. The last is a consistent sleep schedule.”

People who work the night shift or irregular schedules may find getting quality sleep extra challenging. And times of great stress—like the current pandemic—can disrupt our normal sleep routines. But there are many things you can do to improve your sleep.

Sleep for Repair

Why do we need to sleep? People often think that sleep is just “down time,” when a tired brain gets to rest, says Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, who studies sleep at the University of Rochester.

“But that’s wrong,” she says. While you sleep, your brain is working. For example, sleep helps prepare your brain to learn, remember, and create.

Nedergaard and her colleagues discovered that the brain has a drainage system that removes toxins during sleep.

“When we sleep, the brain totally changes function,” she explains. “It becomes almost like a kidney, removing waste from the system.”

Her team found in mice that the drainage system removes some of the proteins linked with Alzheimer’s disease. These toxins were removed twice as fast from the brain during sleep.

Everything from blood vessels to the The system that protects your body from invading viruses, bacteria, and other microscopic threats. immune system uses sleep as a time for repair, says Dr. Kenneth Wright, Jr., a sleep researcher at the University of Colorado.

“There are certain repair processes that occur in the body mostly, or most effectively, during sleep,” he explains. “If you don’t get enough sleep, those processes are going to be disturbed.”

Sleep Myths and Truths

How much sleep you need changes with age. Experts recommend school-age children get at least nine hours a night and teens get between eight and 10. Most adults need at least seven hours or more of sleep each night.

There are many misunderstandings about sleep. One is that adults need less sleep as they get older. This isn’t true. Older adults still need the same amount. But sleep quality can get worse as you age. Older adults are also more likely to take medications that interfere with sleep.

Another sleep myth is that you can “catch up” on your days off. Researchers are finding that this largely isn’t the case.

“If you have one bad night’s sleep and take a nap, or sleep longer the next night, that can benefit you,” says Wright. “But if you have a week’s worth of getting too little sleep, the weekend isn’t sufficient for you to catch up. That’s not a healthy behavior.”

In a recent study, Wright and his team looked at people with consistently deficient sleep. They compared them to sleep-deprived people who got to sleep in on the weekend.

Both groups of people gained weight with lack of sleep. Their bodies’ ability to control blood sugar levels also got worse. The weekend catch-up sleep didn’t help.

On the flip side, more sleep isn’t always better, says Brown. For adults, “if you’re sleeping more than nine hours a night and you still don’t feel refreshed, there may be some underlying medical issue,” she explains.

Sleep Disorders

Some people have conditions that prevent them from getting enough quality sleep, no matter how hard they try. These problems are called sleep disorders.

The most common sleep disorder is insomnia. “Insomnia is when you have repeated difficulty getting to sleep and/or staying asleep,” says Brown. This happens despite having the time to sleep and a proper sleep environment. It can make you feel tired or unrested during the day.

Insomnia can be short-term, where people struggle to sleep for a few weeks or months. “Quite a few more people have been experiencing this during the pandemic,” Brown says. Long-term insomnia lasts for three months or longer.

Sleep apnea is another common sleep disorder. In sleep apnea, the upper airway becomes blocked during sleep. This reduces or stops airflow, which wakes people up during the night. The condition can be dangerous. If untreated, it may lead to other health problems.

If you regularly have problems sleeping, talk with your health care provider. They may have you keep a sleep diary to track your sleep for several weeks. They can also run tests, including sleep studies. These look for sleep disorders.

Getting Better Sleep

If you’re having trouble sleeping, hearing how important it is may be frustrating. But simple things can improve your odds of a good night’s sleep. See the Wise Choices box for tips to sleep better every day.

Treatments are available for many common sleep disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help many people with insomnia get better sleep. Medications can also help some people.

Many people with sleep apnea benefit from using a device called a CPAP machine. These machines keep the airway open so that you can breathe. Other treatments can include special mouthguards and lifestyle changes.

For everyone, “as best you can, try to make sleep a priority,” Brown says. “Sleep is not a throwaway thing—it’s a biological necessity.”

Featured Stories

Is It Flu, COVID-19, Allergies, or a Cold?

Sleep On It

Marvels of Mucus and Phlegm

NIH Office of Communications and Public Liaison Building 31, Room 5B52 Bethesda, MD 20892-2094 [email protected] Tel: 301-451-8224

Editor: Harrison Wein, Ph.D. Managing Editor: Tianna Hicklin, Ph.D. Illustrator: Alan Defibaugh

Attention Editors: Reprint our articles and illustrations in your own publication. Our material is not copyrighted. Please acknowledge NIH News in Health as the source and send us a copy.

For more consumer health news and information, visit health.nih.gov .

For wellness toolkits, visit www.nih.gov/wellnesstoolkits .

The Impact of Sleep on Learning and Memory

By Kelly Cappello, B.A.

For many students, staying awake all night to study is common practice. According to Medical News Today , around 20 percent of students pull all-nighters at least once a month, and about 35 percent stay up past three in the morning once or more weekly.

That being said, staying up all night to study is one of the worst things students can do for their grades. In October of 2019, two MIT professors found a correlation between sleep and test scores : The less students slept during the semester, the worse their scores.

So, why is it that sleep is so important for test scores? While the answer seems simple, that students simply perform better when they’re not mentally or physically tired, the truth may be far more complicated and interesting.

In the last 20 years, scientists have found that sleep impacts more than just students’ ability to perform well; it improves their ability to learn, memorize, retain, recall, and use their new knowledge to solve problems creatively. All of which contribute to better test scores.

Let’s take a look at some of the most interesting research regarding the impact of sleep on learning and memory.

How does sleep improve the ability to learn?

When learning facts and information, most of what we learn is temporarily stored in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. Some scientists hypothesize that , like most storage centers, the hippocampus has limited storage capacity. This means, if the hippocampus is full, and we try to learn more information, we won’t be able to.

Fortunately, many scientists also hypothesize that sleep, particularly Stages 2 and 3 sleep, plays a role in replenishing our ability to learn. In one study, a group of 44 participants underwent two rigorous sessions of learning, once at noon and again at 6:00 PM. Half of the group was allowed to nap between sessions, while the other half took part in standard activities. The researchers found that the group that napped between learning sessions learned just as easily at 6:00 PM as they did at noon. The group that didn’t nap, however, experienced a significant decrease in learning ability [1].

How does sleep improve the ability to recall information?

Humans have known about the benefits of sleep for memory recall for thousands of years. In fact, the first record of this revelation is from the first century AD. Rhetorician Quintilian stated, “It is a curious fact, of which the reason is not obvious, that the interval of a single night will greatly increase the strength of the memory.”

In the last century, scientists have tested this theory many times, often finding that sleep improves memory retention and recall by between 20 and 40 percent. Recent research has led scientists to hypothesize that Stage 3 (deep non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep, or Slow Wave Sleep) may be especially important for the improvement of memory retention and recall [2].

How does sleep improve long-term memory? 

Scientists hypothesize that sleep also plays a major role in forming long-term memories. According to Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley, MRI scans indicate that the slow brain waves of stage 3 sleep (deep NREM sleep) “serve as a courier service,” transporting memories from the hippocampus to other more permanent storage sites [3].

How does sleep improve the ability to solve problems creatively?

Many tests are designed to assess critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. Recent research has led scientists to hypothesize that sleep, particularly REM sleep, plays a role in strengthening these skills. In one study, scientists tested the effect of REM sleep on the ability to solve anagram puzzles (word scrambles like “EOUSM” for “MOUSE”), an ability that requires strong creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

In the study, participants solved a couple of anagram puzzles before going to sleep in a sleep laboratory with electrodes placed on their heads. The subjects were woken up four times during the night to solve anagram puzzles, twice during NREM sleep and twice during REM sleep.

The researchers found that when participants were woken up during REM sleep, they could solve 15 to 35 percent more puzzles than they could when woken up from NREM sleep. They also performed 15 to 35 percent better than they did in the middle of the day [4]. It seems that REM sleep may play a major role in improving the ability to solve complex problems.

So, what’s the point?

Sleep research from the last 20 years indicates that sleep does more than simply give students the energy they need to study and perform well on tests. Sleep actually helps students learn, memorize, retain, recall, and use their new knowledge to come up with creative and innovative solutions.

It’s no surprise that the MIT study previously mentioned revealed no improvement in scores for those who only prioritized their sleep the night before a big test. In fact, the MIT researchers concluded that if students want to see an improvement in their test scores, they have to prioritize their sleep during the entire learning process. Staying up late to study just doesn’t pay off.

Interested in learning more about the impact of sleep on learning and memory? Check out this Student Sleep Guide .

Author Biography

Kelly Cappello graduated from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2015. She is now a writer, specialized in researching complex topics and writing about them in simple English. She currently writes for Recharge.Energy , a company dedicated to helping the public improve their sleep and improve their lives.

• Mander, Bryce A., et al. “Wake Deterioration and Sleep Restoration of Human Learning.” Current Biology, vol. 21, no. 5, 2011, doi:10.1016/j.cub.2011.01.019.
• Walker M. P. (2009). The role of slow wave sleep in memory processing. Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 5(2 Suppl), S20–S26.
• Walker, Matthew. Why We Sleep. Scribner, 2017.
• Walker, Matthew P, et al. “Cognitive Flexibility across the Sleep–Wake Cycle: REM-Sleep Enhancement of Anagram Problem Solving.” Cognitive Brain Research, vol. 14, no. 3, 2002, pp. 317–324., doi:10.1016/s0926-6410(02)00134-9.

Posted on Dec 21, 2020 | Tagged: learning and memory

© The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania | Site best viewed in a supported browser . | Report Accessibility Issues and Get Help | Privacy Policy | Site Design: PMACS Web Team. | Sitemap

Celebrating 150 years of Harvard Summer School. Learn about our history.

Why You Should Make a Good Night’s Sleep a Priority

Poor sleep habits and sleep deprivation are serious problems for most high school and college students. This guide offers important tips on how—and why—to improve your sleep hygiene.

The time you spend in high school and college can be both fun and rewarding. At the same time, these can be some of the busiest years of your life.

Balancing all the demands on your time—a full course load, extracurricular activities, and socializing with friends—can be challenging. And if you also work or have family commitments, it can feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. 

With so many competing priorities, sacrificing sleep may feel like the only way to get everything done. 

Despite the sleepiness you might feel the next day, one late night probably won’t have a major impact on your well-being. But regularly short-changing yourself on quality sleep can have serious implications for school, work, and your physical and mental health.

Alternatively, prioritizing a regular sleep schedule can make these years healthier, less stressful, and more successful long-term.

The sleep you need versus the sleep you get

According to the National Sleep Foundation , high school students (ages 14-17) need about eight to 10 hours of sleep each night. For young adults (ages 18 to 25), the range is need between seven and nine hours.

How do you know how much sleep you need within this range? 

According to Dr. Edward Pace-Schott, Harvard Summer School and Harvard Medical School faculty member and sleep expert, you can answer that question simply by observing how much you sleep when you don’t need to get up.

“When you’ve been on vacation for two weeks, how are you sleeping during that second week? How long are you sleeping? If you’re sleeping eight or nine hours when you don’t have any reason to get up, then chances are you need that amount or close to that amount of sleep,” says Pace-Schott. 

Most students, however, get far less sleep than the recommended amount. 

Seventy to 96 percent of college students get less than eight hours of sleep each week night. And over half of college students sleep less than seven hours per night. The numbers are similar for high school students; 73 percent of high school students get between seven and seven and a half hours of sleep .

Of course, many students attempt to catch up on lost sleep by sleeping late on the weekends. Unfortunately, this pattern is neither healthy nor a true long-term solution to sleep deprivation. 

And what about those students who say that they function perfectly well on just a couple hours of sleep?

“There are very few individuals who are so-called short sleepers, people who really don’t need more than six hours of sleep. But, there are a lot more people who claim to be short sleepers than there are real short sleepers,” says Pace-Schott.

Consequences of sleep deprivation

The consequences of sleep deprivation are fairly well established but may still be surprising.

For example, did you know that sleep deprivation can create the same level of cognitive impairment as drinking alcohol? 

According to the CDC , staying awake for 18 hours can have the same effect as a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05 percent. Staying awake for 24 hours can equate to a BAC of 0.10 percent (higher than the legal limit of 0.08 percent). 

And according to research by AAA , drowsy driving causes an average of 328,000 motor vehicle accidents each year in the US. Drivers who sleep less than five hours per night are more than five times as likely to have a crash as drivers who sleep for seven hours or more.  

Other signs of chronic sleep deprivation include:

• Daytime sleepiness and fatigue
• Irritability and short temper
• Mood changes
• Trouble coping with stress
• Difficulty focusing, concentrating, and remembering

Over the long term, chronic sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on your physical and mental health. Insufficient sleep has been linked, for example, to weight gain and obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

The impact on your mental health can be just as serious. Harvard Medical School has conducted numerous studies, including research by Pace-Schott, demonstrating a link between sleep deprivation and mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Earn college credits with a summer course at Harvard Summer School.

Importance of sleep for high school and college students

As difficult as it is to prioritize sleep, the advantages of going to bed early and getting quality sleep every night are very real.

College students who prioritize sleep are likely to see an improvement in their academic performance.

If you are well rested, you will experience less daytime sleepiness and fatigue. You may need less caffeine to stay awake during those long lectures. And you will also find you are more productive, more attentive to detail, and able to concentrate better while studying.

But the connection between sleep and academic performance goes well beyond concentration and attentiveness.

“Sleep is very important for consolidating memories. In any sort of experimental setting, study results show better performance if you learn material and then sleep on it, instead of remaining awake. So there’s lots and lots of evidence now indicating that sleep promotes memory strengthening and memory consolidation,” says Pace-Schott. 

There is also a strong connection between sleep quality and stress.

Students who prioritize sleep are better able to cope with the stress that comes with being an active student. 

“It’s a vicious circle where the more stressed you get, the less you sleep, and the less you sleep, the more stressed you get. And in the long term, that can lead to serious psychiatric problems,” says Pace-Schott.

In the worst case scenario, the combination of lack of sleep and stress can lead to mental health disorders such as depression, general anxiety disorder, and potentially even post-traumatic stress disorder.

But prioritizing sleep can create a positive feedback loop as well. 

Establishing a sleep schedule and adequate sleep duration can improve your ability to cope with stress. Being active and productive will help you get more done throughout the day, which also reduces feelings of stress.

And the less stressed you feel during the day, the better you will sleep at night. 

Tips for getting more sleep as a student

The key to getting a good night’s sleep is establishing healthy sleep habits, also known as sleep hygiene.

The first step is deciding to make sleep a priority. 

Staying ahead of coursework and avoiding distractions and procrastination while you study is key to avoiding the need for late night study sessions. And prioritizing sleep may mean leaving a party early or choosing your social engagements carefully. 

Yet the reward—feeling awake and alert the next morning—will reinforce that positive choice. 

The next step is establishing healthy bedtime and daytime patterns to promote good quality sleep.

Pace-Schott offers the following tips on steps you can take to create healthy sleep hygiene:

• Limit caffeine in close proximity to bed time. College students should also avoid alcohol intake, which disrupts quality sleep.
• Avoid electronic screens (phone, laptop, tablet, desktop) within an hour of bedtime. 
• Engage in daily physical exercise, but avoid intense exercise within two hours of bedtime.
• Establish a sleep schedule. Be as consistent as possible in your bedtime and rise time, and get exposure to morning sunlight.
• Establish a “wind-down” routine prior to bedtime.
• Limit use of bed for daily activities other than sleep (e.g., TV, work, eating)

Of course, college students living in dorms or other communal settings may find their sleep disturbed by circumstances beyond their control: a poor-quality mattress, inability to control the temperature of your bedroom, or noisy roommates, for example. 

But taking these active steps to promote healthy sleep will, barring these other uncontrollable circumstances, help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep, and get a more restorative sleep.

And for students who are still not convinced of the importance of sleep, Pace-Schott says that personal observation is the best way to see the impact of healthy sleep habits. 

“Keep a sleep diary for a week. Pay attention to your sleep in a structured way. And be sure to record how you felt during the day. This can really help you make the link between how you slept the night before and how you feel during the day. It’s amazing how much you will learn about your sleep and its impact on your life.” 

Interested in summer at Harvard? Learn more about our summer programs.

Request Information

What You Need to Know About Pre-College Program Activities

Rigorous, fast-paced—and a lot of fun.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

HIGH SCHOOL

• ACT Tutoring
• SAT Tutoring
• PSAT Tutoring
• ASPIRE Tutoring
• SHSAT Tutoring
• STAAR Tutoring

GRADUATE SCHOOL

• MCAT Tutoring
• GRE Tutoring
• LSAT Tutoring
• GMAT Tutoring
• AIMS Tutoring
• HSPT Tutoring
• ISAT Tutoring
• SSAT Tutoring

Search 50+ Tests

Loading Page

math tutoring

• Elementary Math
• Pre-Calculus
• Trigonometry

science tutoring

Foreign languages.

• Mandarin Chinese

elementary tutoring

• Computer Science

Search 350+ Subjects

• Video Overview
• Tutor Selection Process
• Online Tutoring
• Mobile Tutoring
• Instant Tutoring
• How We Operate
• Our Guarantee
• Impact of Tutoring
• Reviews & Testimonials
• About Varsity Tutors

The Importance of Sleep by Kealey

Kealeyof Logan 's entry into Varsity Tutor's July 2017 scholarship contest

The Importance of Sleep by Kealey - July 2017 Scholarship Essay

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our lives. For many, sleep is too often undervalued. But when all's said and done, we should place sleep as a higher priority in our lives because it enhances our physical and cognitive performance, improves our memory, and supports survival mechanisms. Sleep provides cognitive and physical health benefits that allow the human body to function more properly. I personally perform better in all aspects of life if I receive adequate amounts of sleep. Because of this, I strive to be in bed by my set bedtime (no later than 10:30 pm). There are instances, specifically on the weekend that I stay up later. In contrast, my father does not get enough sleep. During my teenage years, he would consistently go to bed around 11 pm or midnight and wake up at either 3:00 or 4:00 am. The reality of the need for sleep finally sunk in when my dad was diagnosed with Pseudotumor cerebri, or swelling of the optic nerve. Other health problems escalated as an after effect. Although there are no known causes of this condition, the doctors suggested that inadequate amounts of sleep may have been a contributing factor. In findings reported by the National Institution of Health,sleep is necessary to heal and repair the body’s immune functions, regulate a healthy balance of hormones, and also aids in growth and development. Like my father, sometimes the suffering presents itself in extremities. But more often than not, little things such as the common cold or flu affect those that don’t get enough sleep more. Because sleep is individualized, a person must ensure they get adequate amounts of sleep for proper physical functioning on a daily basis. Not only does sleep affect our physical abilities, it can enhance our overall mental abilities. In general, humans function better when they get enough sleep. Dr. Ferraro and Dr. Genarro, two Italian sleep psychologists, suggest a direct correlation indicating that performance ability declines as the number of hours of sleep declines. During sleep the brain builds and strengthens neurological pathways. When not enough sleep occurs, a person increases their risk of developing mental illnesses such as depression. Thus, this evidence provides support for doctors and therapists who suggest sleep as a remedy, both to cure physical and cognitive illnesses. Sleep also affects our memory. Being able to remember, retain, and recall are the three “Rs” to memory. The human memory relies on sleep for the enhancement of these. Dr. Jan Born, and Dr. Ines Wilhelm, two German psychology professors, recently conducted a study to find the relationship between sleep and memory. Their research indicates that sleep helps convert implicit knowledge or patterns, into explicit knowledge that is retained in the brain. Memory consolidation cannot happen correctly without sleep. Born and Wilhelm also found that sleep improves long-term memory. They suggest that sleep could be the process in which newly encoded memory representations are redistributed to other neuron networks serving as long-term storage. When I practiced for piano competitions in high school and attempted to memorize a song, I often played it right before bed. The next day, I could recall the music better compared to practicing it in the early afternoon. Thus, sleep becomes a beneficiary factor for memory. Sleep is not an independent variable. In fact, although sleep is important, there are many other things that are necessary to having a well-balanced life. Culture, family, work, social life, and values all determine one’s way of living. Despite the situations that make up a person’s life, sleep deserves greater prioritization. Dr. Michael Colgan, a world-wide renowned research scientist relates, “Sleep could be considered more important than food in maintaining physical and cognitive health if water supply is sufficient.” Sleep acts as as a survival tool, when not put to use, it can cause serious work-related and life-threatening crises. In 2005, The National Sleep Foundation found about 60% of all drivers have driven drowsy, furthermore 100,000 car accidents are sleep related. This included 1550 deaths and 71,000 injuries. This lack of sleep is a weapon: the sleep deficient driver becomes the offender, and other drivers on the road become the victims. Detecting drowsy driving tends to be more difficult to detect than things such as seat belt usage or driving under the influence. But, sleep deprivation and fatigue make lapses of attention more likely to occur. Sleep is a major factor that potentially saves lives. Even with the productivity of our society, Americans need to place a greater importance on sleep. Sleep is beneficial to maintaining and improving our cognitive and physical performances, memory functions, and acts a survival mechanism. As Russell Foster put it “Sleep is the golden chain that ties all aspects of health [and life] together.” If we placed sleep as a greater importance in our society, there would be less accidents, injuries, illnesses, and overall greater happiness levels. Take the initiative and start today to get enough sleep; crawl into your pajamas, and snuggle on into your bed for a full night's sleep.

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Heart Attack — The Importance of Sleep for College Students

The Importance of Sleep for College Students

• Categories: Heart Attack

About this sample

Words: 1186 |

Published: Nov 6, 2018

Words: 1186 | Pages: 3 | 6 min read

Works Cited

• American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Pulling an all-nighter for exams? 3 tips to help you study smarter, not harder. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sleep-study.aspx
• Coletta, C., Wikholm, C., & Pascoe, M. (2018). The relationship between sleep and academic performance: A study of college students. Eastern Kentucky University, McNair Scholars Journal, 22(1), 11-21.
• Fakhari, N., Niloufar, F., & Neda, G. (2016). The effect of sleep deprivation on memory and academic performance in students. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 9(42), 1-5.
• Harvey, A. G., Stinson, K., Whitaker, K. L., & Moskovitz, D. (2008). The subjective meaning of sleep quality: A comparison of individuals with and without insomnia. Sleep, 31(3), 383-393.
• Harris Health Sleep Disorders Center. (n.d.). How does lack of sleep affect your memory? Harris Health System. Retrieved from https://www.harrishealth.org/services-program/health-wellness/sleep-center/Pages/how-does-lack-of-sleep-affect-your-memory.aspx
• Hershner, S. D., & Chervin, R. D. (2014). Causes and consequences of sleepiness among college students. Nature and Science of Sleep, 6, 73-84.
• Huang, T., Li, Y., Liu, X., Xu, C., & Zhao, J. (2016). Sleep quality, sleep duration, and the academic performance of college students: A cross-sectional study in Zhejiang, China. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12(3), 377-384.
• Patrick, Y., Lee, A., Raha, O., Pillai, K., Gupta, S., & Sethi, S. (2017). Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive and physical performance in university students. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 15(3), 217-225.
• Pilcher, J. J., & Walters, A. S. (1997). How sleep deprivation affects psychological variables related to college students' cognitive performance. Journal of American College Health, 46(3), 121-126.
• Wang, G., Ma, J., Wang, Y., Li, R., Peng, C., & Sun, J. (2016). Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 34, 43-53.

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

• Expert in: Nursing & Health

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

3 pages / 1223 words

1 pages / 551 words

4 pages / 2021 words

5 pages / 2415 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

“The use of CPR dates all the way back to 1740, most Americans don’t know how to perform it.” CPR is a miraculous technique that if given properly and immediately to sudden cardiac arrest victims the more likely people’s lives [...]

A heart attack is a frightening experience. If you have had a heart attack, or are close with someone who has, you are not alone: tens of thousands of Americans survive. As you work toward recovery, please use the following [...]

Although nothing can be capable of preventing a heart-attack imminent, a quick course of the action of a viewer can help prevent the death. Take immediate action if someone thinks that they are having a heart-attack or that are [...]

The death penalty has been a capital offense of significance across many years. The decision to put someone to death has been productive over the years. The nature of the Death penalty punishment brings the worst fate to [...]

Apparently, smoking during pregnancy is detrimental to both the life of the mother and that of the fetus. Studies have confirmed that most parents are aware of the harm that smoking causes yet they are adamant to quit. [...]

Every medical condition in the modern world has specific traits making each disease slightly different from the previous illness. Major medical conditions such as diabetes are known for their ravaging effects if left untreated. [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• ErasmusJobs
• Green Erasmus

The Importance of Sleep

Constantly tired, grey faces with red, puffy eyes, hands holding cups loaded with caffeine… Lack of sleep seems to be a plague among the modern youth. We live in a constant rush, our schedules are overflowing with various tasks and responsibilities, and rest usually ends up as the lowest priority on our lists. People tend to underestimate the importance of good-quality sleep, without realising the consequences. Moreover, many of us don’t know what “quality sleep” even means – how long we should sleep, how to make sure we actually get enough rest and how to take care of appropriate sleep hygiene. This article will be your first step to finally getting a good night’s sleep.

First things first – do you know why sleep is so important? We all know that sleep is the time when our body and brain regenerate. Let's get down to a bit of science: it is the time when your heart and blood vessels heal and repair, protecting you from heart and kidney diseases, strokes and low blood pressure. Sleep is also an important factor for lowering the risk of diabetes, as it affects how your body reacts to insulin (the hormone that controls your blood sugar level).

If you still don’t feel convinced, good sleep can help you maintain appropriate body weight! Have you noticed that when you are sleepy, you are also more prone to reaching for comfort foods instead of healthy, nutritious meals?  Night time is when your body produces hormones, including ghrelin and leptin – hormones responsible for feeling hungry and full. What this actually means is that sleep deprivation lowers your metabolism, making you more likely to gain weight.

Good sleep is important for your mind as well. Obviously, feeling well-rested affects your mood, response time, and efficiency at work. Studies show that sleep has a crucial impact on activity in some parts of the brain. If you're tired, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behaviour, and coping with change.

Now that you know why you should always get enough sleep, it’s time to find out how. Have you ever wondered how much sleep is “enough”? Or if there is such a thing as too much sleep? For an adult, the appropriate amount is between 7 and 9 hours. This means that sleeping over 9 hours per day can actually be bad for you. Oversleeping has similar effects to sleep deprivation: over time it can also lead to diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. More common effects of sleeping too much are headaches, lack of energy or depression. Sounds familiar? Remember that anything in excess is bad.

It’s not only how much sleep you get that’s important – if the quality of sleep is not right, you will not get its full benefits. There are a few tricks that can help you get as much rest as possible. You need to take care of a proper sleep hygiene. Firstly, remember that your bed should be reserved for sleep only – if you have a habit of working or eating in bed you should try to move it to somewhere else. Studies prove that separating workspace and sleeping space can help you fall asleep faster and sleep better throughout the night. And there’s bad news for those addicted to phones – the blue light from the screen disrupts natural sleep patterns by affecting melatonin (sleep hormone) levels. Does avoiding touching your phone and laptop for two hours before sleep sound impossible? At least switch all of your devices to night shift mode – it gives a yellow tint to your display, minimising the negative effect on your hormones. If your device doesn’t have a built-in night mode, you can try Twiligh t (for Android) or f.lux (for Windows).

If you have trouble falling asleep, you should try going to bed and waking up around the same time each day. It might be challenging, especially during weekends, but once you establish a routine, waking up early during the week becomes much easier.  Humans are creatures of habit, so having a nice bedtime routine – a time for you to unwind, relax, and get ready for bed - is the first step to good quality sleep. You can pick out an outfit and pack your bag for the following day, have a nice, warm bath, listen to some music, set time to read a book… try out what works best for you and stick to it!

Maybe it sounds like a lot of restrictions, hard to keep up with when you have a fully packed schedule and tight deadlines –  but still, sleep should be a priority. You’ll be much more efficient finishing everything in your crowded schedule with a rested brain, good energy, and positive attitude – not to mention that after a full night of sleep, those busy days will also feel better. Don’t you think it is worth sacrificing one thing in order to get proper rest? In the long run, it will bring you much more benefit and help you manage your time and tasks better. Good luck – and sleep well!

P.S. You can read up more about the science of sleep here .

Related articles

Reality check time: Erasmus is over The end of your Erasmus programme might feel like the end of the world you currently live in, but the world after your Erasmus will be ev...

How a Youth Exchange Shaped My Future This might feel like a very personal piece, but above all it is meant to highlight the inspiration, skills, and self exploration that lea...

An Unbreakable Bond: ESN Members and Exchange Students What do exchange students mean to ESN members? They usually stay with us only for one semester, but their impact on our everyday lives is...

When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Products or services may be offered by an affiliated entity. Learn more.

Stages of Sleep: What Happens in a Sleep Cycle

Staff Writer

Eric Suni has over a decade of experience as a science writer and was previously an information specialist for the National Cancer Institute.

Want to read more about all our experts in the field?

Dr. Abhinav Singh

Sleep Medicine Physician

Dr. Singh is the Medical Director of the Indiana Sleep Center. His research and clinical practice focuses on the entire myriad of sleep disorders.

Sleep Foundation

Fact-Checking: Our Process

The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity. Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias.

The Sleep Foundation fact-checking guidelines are as follows:

• We only cite reputable sources when researching our guides and articles. These include peer-reviewed journals, government reports, academic and medical associations, and interviews with credentialed medical experts and practitioners.
• All scientific data and information must be backed up by at least one reputable source. Each guide and article includes a comprehensive bibliography with full citations and links to the original sources.
• Some guides and articles feature links to other relevant Sleep Foundation pages. These internal links are intended to improve ease of navigation across the site, and are never used as original sources for scientific data or information.
• A member of our medical expert team provides a final review of the content and sources cited for every guide, article, and product review concerning medical- and health-related topics. Inaccurate or unverifiable information will be removed prior to publication.
• Plagiarism is never tolerated. Writers and editors caught stealing content or improperly citing sources are immediately terminated, and we will work to rectify the situation with the original publisher(s)
• Although Sleep Foundation maintains affiliate partnerships with brands and e-commerce portals, these relationships never have any bearing on our product reviews or recommendations. Read our full Advertising Disclosure for more information.

Table of Contents

What Is the Sleep Cycle?

What are the sleep stages in a normal sleep cycle, nrem sleep patterns, rem sleep patterns: what is rem sleep, why do the sleep stages matter, what affects sleep stages, how can you have a healthier sleep cycle.

• Three non-rapid eye movement stages and one rapid eye movement stage make up one sleep cycle.
• A person will typically go through four to six sleep cycles per night, although the duration of each stage may vary.
• The sleep stages allow the brain to recuperate from the day and support multiple functions.
• Improved sleep hygiene can encourage healthy transitions through the sleep stages.

When thinking about getting the sleep you need, it is normal to focus on how many hours of sleep you get. While sleep duration is undoubtedly important, it is not the only part of the equation.

It is also critical to think about sleep quality and whether the time spent sleeping is actually restorative. Progressing smoothly multiple times through the sleep cycle, composed of four separate sleep stages, is a vital part of getting high-quality rest.

Each sleep stage plays a part in allowing the mind and body to wake up refreshed. Understanding the sleep cycle also helps explain how certain sleep disorders, including insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea, can impact a person’s sleep and health.

Sleep is not uniform. Instead, over the course of the night, your total sleep is made up of several rounds of the sleep cycle, which is composed of four individual stages. In a typical night, a person goes through four to six sleep cycles Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . Not all sleep cycles are the same length, but on average they last about 90 minutes each.

Go beyond sleep stages!

Get daily actionable tips personalized to you.

Are All Sleep Cycles the Same?

It is normal for sleep cycles to change as you progress through your nightly sleep. The first sleep cycle is often the shortest, ranging from 70 to 100 minutes, while later cycles tend to fall between 90 and 120 minutes. In addition, the composition of each cycle – how much time is spent in each sleep stage – changes as the night goes along.

Sleep cycles can vary from person to person and from night to night based on a wide range of factors such as age, recent sleep patterns, and alcohol consumption.

There are four sleep stages, including one for rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and three that form non-REM (NREM) sleep. These stages are determined based on an analysis of brain activity during sleep, which shows distinct patterns that characterize each stage.

The breakdown of a person’s sleep into various cycles and stages is commonly referred to as sleep architecture. If someone undergoes a sleep study, their sleep architecture can be represented visually in a hypnogram, or graph.

NREM sleep is composed of three different stages. The higher the stage of NREM sleep , the harder it is to wake a person up.

Stage 1 

Stage 1, also called N1, is essentially when a person first falls asleep. This stage normally lasts just one to seven minutes.

During N1 sleep, the body has not fully relaxed, though the body and brain activities start to slow with periods of brief movements. There are light changes in brain activity associated with falling asleep in this stage.

It is easy to wake someone up during this sleep stage, but if a person is not disturbed, they can move quickly into stage 2. As the night unfolds, an uninterrupted sleeper may not spend much more time in stage 1 as they move through further sleep cycles.

During stage 2, or N2, the body enters a more subdued state including a drop in temperature, relaxed muscles, and slowed breathing and heart rate. At the same time, brain waves show a new pattern and eye movement stops. On the whole, brain activity slows, but there are short bursts of activity Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source that actually help resist being woken up by external stimuli.

Stage 2 sleep can last for 10 to 25 minutes during the first sleep cycle, and each N2 stage can become longer during the night. Collectively, a person typically spends about half their sleep time in N2 sleep.

Stage 3 sleep is also known as N3 or deep sleep, and it is harder to wake someone up if they are in this phase. Muscle tone, pulse, and breathing rate decrease in N3 sleep as the body relaxes even further.

The brain activity during this period has an identifiable pattern of what are known as delta waves. For this reason, stage 3 may also be called delta sleep or slow-wave sleep (SWS).

Experts believe that this stage is critical to restorative sleep, allowing for bodily recovery and growth. It may also bolster the immune system and other key bodily processes. Even though brain activity is reduced, there is evidence that deep sleep contributes to insightful thinking Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , creativity Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , and memory.

You spend the most time in deep sleep during the first half of the night. During the early sleep cycles, N3 stages commonly last for 20 to 40 minutes. As you continue sleeping, these stages get shorter, and more time gets spent in REM sleep instead.

During REM sleep, brain activity picks up, nearing levels seen when you are awake. At the same time, the body experiences atonia, which is a temporary paralysis of the muscles, with two exceptions: the eyes and the muscles that control breathing. Even though the eyes are closed, they can be seen moving quickly, which is how this stage gets its name.

REM sleep is believed to be essential to cognitive functions like memory Trusted Source UpToDate More than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights. View Source , learning, and creativity Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . REM sleep is known for the most vivid dreams, which is explained by the significant uptick in brain activity. Dreams can occur in any sleep stage, but they are less common and intense in the NREM periods.

Under normal circumstances, you do not enter a REM sleep stage until you have been asleep for about 90 minutes. As the night goes on, REM stages get longer, especially in the second half of the night. While the first REM stage may last only a few minutes, later stages can last for around an hour. In total, REM stages make up around 25% of sleep in adults.

Sleep stages are important because they allow the brain and body to recuperate and develop. Failure to obtain enough of both deep sleep and REM sleep may explain some of the profound consequences of insufficient sleep on thinking Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , emotions, and physical health. Sleepers who are frequently awoken during earlier stages, such as people with sleep apnea , may struggle to properly cycle into these deeper sleep stages. People with insomnia may not get enough total sleep to accumulate the needed time in each stage.

While there is a typical pattern for sleep stages, there can be substantial individual variation based on a number of factors Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .

• Age: Time in each stage changes dramatically over a person’s life. Newborns spend far more time in REM sleep and may enter a REM stage as soon as they fall asleep. As they get older, their sleep becomes similar to that of adults. Older adults tend to spend less time in REM sleep.
• Recent sleep patterns: If a person gets irregular or insufficient sleep over a period of days or more, it can cause an abnormal sleep cycle.
• Alcohol: Alcohol and some other drugs can alter sleep architecture. For example, alcohol decreases REM sleep early in the night, but as the alcohol wears off, there is a REM sleep rebound, with prolonged REM stages.
• Sleep disorders: Sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome (RLS), and other conditions that cause multiple awakenings may interrupt a healthy sleep cycle.

While you do not have full control of your sleep cycle, you can take steps to improve your chances of having a healthy progression through each sleep stage.

A key step is to focus on improving your sleep hygiene , which refers to your sleep environment  and sleep-related habits. Achieving a more consistent sleep schedule, getting natural daylight exposure, avoiding alcohol before bedtime, and eliminating noise and light disruptions can help you get uninterrupted sleep and promote proper alignment of your circadian rhythm. Your mattress , pillows , and sheets can also contribute to how comfortable your sleep environment is.

If you find that you have excessive daytime sleepiness or otherwise suspect that you might have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea, it is important to talk with a doctor who can most appropriately guide your care. Addressing underlying issues may pave the way for more complete and restorative sleep cycles.

• New Research Evaluates Accuracy of Sleep Trackers
• Listening to Calming Words While Asleep Boosts Deep Sleep
• Distinct Sleep Patterns Linked to Health Outcomes
• Association Between Sleep Duration and Disturbance with Age Acceleration

About Our Editorial Team

Eric Suni, Staff Writer

Medically Reviewed by

Dr. Abhinav Singh, Sleep Medicine Physician MD

References 8 sources.

Patel, A.K., Reddy, V., & Araujo, J.F. (2022, September 7). Physiology, sleep stages. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing., Retrieved December 6, 2022, from

Schönauer, M., & Pöhlchen, D. (2018). Sleep spindles. Current Biology, 28(19), R1129–R1130.

Yordanova, J., Kolev, V., Wagner, U., & Verleger, R. (2010). Differential associations of early- and late-night sleep with functional brain states promoting insight to abstract task regularity. PloS one, 5(2), e9442.

Drago, V., Foster, P. S., Heilman, K. M., Aricò, D., Williamson, J., Montagna, P., & Ferri, R. (2011). Cyclic alternating pattern in sleep and its relationship to creativity. Sleep medicine, 12(4), 361–366.

Kirsch, D. (2021, November 8). Stages and architecture of normal sleep. In A.F. Eichler (Ed.). UpToDate., Retrieved December 6, 2022, from

Cai, D. J., Mednick, S. A., Harrison, E. M., Kanady, J. C., & Mednick, S. C. (2009). REM, not incubation, improves creativity by priming associative networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106(25), 10130–10134.

Maquet P. (2000). Sleep on it!. Nature neuroscience, 3(12), 1235–1236.

Yetton, B. D., McDevitt, E. A., Cellini, N., Shelton, C., & Mednick, S. C. (2018). Quantifying sleep architecture dynamics and individual differences using big data and Bayesian networks. PloS one, 13(4), e0194604.

Learn More About Stages of Sleep

5 Ways to Get More REM Sleep

How Much Deep Sleep Do You Need?

REM Sleep: What It Is and Why It's Important

How to Get More Deep Sleep: Tips for a Restful Night

Paradoxical Sleep

What is NREM Sleep?

Slow-Wave Sleep

Other articles of interest, sleep hygiene, bedroom environment, sleep solutions, best mattresses.

Essay: The Importance of Sleep

Pahan 1 / 1850   Dec 7, 2013   #2 The objective of EF is to help improve English writing skills and that's what we contributors do here. So, you should do your draft essay and post it here for us to make our comments as to how you can further improve it. You need to have these parts - Introduction, body paragraphs and Conclusion. In the intro, tell why sleep is important very briefly. Then in body paras, take one point (reason) each body para that highlights why sleep is important. Support those reasons with examples. You can google for finding facts for this essay. Do your first draft and post it here for our comments.

kelibzon - / 1   Dec 7, 2013   #3 Introduction A recent survey revealed that a large number of people sleep less than six hours each night, and that 75 percent of people encounter sleep difficulties a few nights a week. While a short-lived insomnia should not be of much concern, chronic sleep loss can lead to a myriad health problems including high blood pressure, weight gain, low immune system and much more. This essay explains the different ways in which sleep is important. The Importance of Sleep Mental and Emotional Well being Sleep promotes a healthy brain functioning and emotional well being. When one sleeps, the brain is able to commit new information to the memory via a process known as memory consolidation. Studies show that individuals who slept after learning a new task performed well in tests than those who did not. Children and teens that are sleep-deficient are likely to encounter problems when it comes to getting along with their peers. They may feel impulsive and angry, feel sad, have mood swings, lack motivation or feel depressed (NIH, 2012). Mood Enhancement, Metabolism and Weight Control Sleep determines an individual's mood. Sleep loss may lead to irritability, lack of concentration, impatience, and moodiness. Inadequate sleep can also make one fatigued and unable to handle their normal tasks. This therefore means that sleep can help to boost one's mood, improve their concentration and put them in the right frame of mind to perform the normal tasks (Harvard Health Publications, 2006). Sleep helps in metabolism and weight control. Prolonged sleep deprivation can result to weight gain as it affects the processing and storage of carbohydrates in the body besides altering the hormone levels that affect one's appetite (Harvard Health Publications, 2006). Safety and Alertness Sleep enhances safety and alertness when performing different tasks. Sleep debt increases the tendency of falling asleep or feeling drowsy at daytime. Such lapses may result to falls and other mistakes such as air traffic mishaps, medical errors, and road accidents. Studies indicate that sleep deficiency weakens one's ability to drive as much as, or even more than drinking does. Precisely, driver sleepiness is responsible for about 100,000 motor vehicle accidents every year, which results in around 1500 deaths (NIH, 2012). Improves Cardiovascular Health Sleep improves cardiovascular health and reduces the risks of suffering from heart related conditions such as hypertension, irregular heartbeat and many more (Harvard Health Publications, 2006). Hormonal Balance Sleep creates a healthy balance of those hormones that make one to feel full (leptin) or hungry (ghrelin). Inadequate sleep increases the level of ghlerin and lowers the level of leptin. This makes one to feel hungrier than when they are well-rest. Sleep enhances good growth and development. For instance, deep sleep will trigger the body to release a hormone responsible for the promotion of normal growth in teens and children. Besides, this hormone boosts the muscle mass and helps in the repair of tissues and cells in teens, children and adults. Sleep plays a critical role in fertility and puberty too (NIH, 2012). Boosts the Immune System Moreover, sleeping improves the immune system, which is the body's natural defense against ailments. Thus, sleep deprivation can alter the immune function and make one susceptible to a number of diseases. According to medical study, newborns should sleep for 16-18 hours each day; preschool- and school-aged children should sleep for 11-12 hours and 10 hours per day respectively. Teens should spend 9-10 hours a day sleeping and adults should sleep for 7 to 8 hours every day (NIH, 2012). Conclusion Sleep enhances the mental and emotional well being of children, teens and grownups. Sleep controls metabolism and weight; lack of sleep can cause weight gain. Adequate sleep boosts the right mood for productivity and improves safety when performing daily tasks. Besides, sound sleep promotes hormonal balance and boosts the immune system. References Harvard Health Publications (2006). Importance of Sleep: Six Reasons not to Skrimp on Sleep. Harvard Medical School, Harvard University NIH (2012). Explore Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency: Why is Sleep Important? Department of Health and Human Services: USA Gov. Hope this helps. If you need more academic help, please let me know via kevslibama (at) gmail dot com Kelibzon