Most of us have become addicted to gadgets and rarely have a good night’s sleep. But why should we even sleep? How does it actually help our bodies? And when is the best time to sleep? Do we need sleep?

Sleep is one of the most important things that your body needs. Like food, it’s essential for sustenance; without it, you die. Healthy sleep not only improves memory and lowers stress levels but also heightens creativity, helps maintain a healthy weight and can even make you more attractive.

The article will discuss the importance of sleep and how it affects our behavior and mental function. It’ll also share some ways to improve your sleep pattern and help you fall asleep quicker.

Why Should You Sleep?

There is a big difference between sleeping for 8 hours every night and drowsy driving, which is why it’s critical to know when to stop drowsily driving your way around life. In addition, there are several important effects that happen when we forget about those eight hours of restful sleep each night. Here are some of the things that can happen to your mental health and daily behavior when you don’t get the rest you need.

• Loss of memory,
• disorientation,
• confusion,
• problems with attention,
• and attention deficit disorder (ADD),
• increased irritability,
• anger management problems,
• anxiety attacks throughout the day. . . .

I could go on for an entire blog about the potential impacts that not getting enough sleep has on our complicated brains. But let’s just say this: Sleep is key to everything we do and everything we think.
Stages of Sleep
There are five stages of sleep. Each time we cycle through these stages it takes 90 minutes. After the 90 minute-long cycle, we will go into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) mode, where we dream and vivid dreams happen, then back to the first stage again and will continue the cycle until we wake up (although there is a possible sixth stage which can occur right before REM sleep).

Stage 1:

This is where we fall asleep and where our eyes move around quickly as we enter our state of unconsciousness. The heart rate decreases along with our breathing, but it will increase as you progress to the fourth stage.

Stage 2:

This is the beginning of dreaming, also known as Non-REM sleep. REM sleep occurs when we are in a deep subconscious state and our eyes are normally closed, but when we wake up from the dream it affects the body in a different way.

Stage 3:

In this stage you will wake up, usually from a sound or because you’re having a bad dream. The heart rate increases and you start to stir around. This is also known as “Light sleep” or “quiet sleep.” You will be able to talk in this stage but not too much else unless you have an extremely deep sleep.

Stage 4:

This is the final stage of sleep and it lasts for about 20 minutes. It is known as the “deep sleep” where we become completely unresponsive and our breathing and heart rate will be very low so we can easily drift off to dream again. The brain will also be recharged at this time, so if you wake up during this stage, you will feel more alert than usual.

REM Sleep:

This is where we dream at night and REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement because our eyes move around quickly as we enter deep unconsciousness. We may also hear noises such as people talking or footsteps coming down the hall which are all signs that we are in REM sleep. The brain is completely recharged in this stage.

Sleep Disorders:

Sleep disorders can affect both children and adults, where it is often one of the most common reasons for seeing a doctor. There are several different sleep disorders that can arise from a variety of other things such as stress, poor diet, and troubled youth. Sleep disorders should be taken seriously because they can affect your mood, school performance, and normal social behavior throughout the day. Some common examples of sleep disorders are:

Sleep apnea is the most common sleep disorder that affects adults, which also happens to be the most dangerous one. Sleep apnea can cause tiredness during the day and certain symptoms like daytime headache, dry mouth, daytime fatigue, forgetting things. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems such as strokes and heart attacks because it puts so much strain on the body. To read more about sleep disorders, see this.

Treatments for sleep disorders

Treatments for sleep disorders include sleeping pills, CPAP machines, lifestyle changes, or even surgery. Some people are able to use alternative ways to treat their sleep disorders instead of taking medication. Examples of this are butterbur extract, melatonin before bedtime, and sleep diaries to track your sleep patterns.

Insomnia is a very general term that means the inability to fall asleep. Insomnia is also known as having trouble getting to sleep or being unable to stay asleep at night. People with insomnia have symptoms such as needing more than 30 minutes just to fall asleep at night despite having the opportunity for sufficient sleep during the day. One of the most common treatments for insomnia is Ambien; however, it should not be taken if you drink alcohol or take other medications. Some of the side effects that Ambien has are:

Anyone who is experiencing insomnia should consult with their doctor and come up with a plan to treat insomnia appropriately.

Midnight Insomnia:
This can also be known as psychophysiological insomnia and is essentially restless sleep at night. This form of insomnia affects people between the ages of 20 – 60 years old. This can occur frequently and consist of many factors such as personality, stress, and physical activity during the day.

Conclusion

These are just a few examples of the effects lack of sleep can have on your life. The next time you feel sleepy take a minute to think about all that happens when you don’t get enough sleep.