Why do we have to sleep?
We do it on average a third of our lives and we can't live without it. What's more, getting enough sleep every night offers many health benefits. Long-term sleep deprivation can have serious consequences. After all, it affects our psychological well-being and our physical health.
In what follows, you will discover:
- Why sleep is so important
- Our biological clock
- The Sleep Cycle: The Different Types of Sleep
- The importance of good sleep hygiene
- What to do when you can't sleep
Why is sleep so important?
Sleep undeniably belongs in the list of things that a person cannot live without. After all, in addition to food and water, a person cannot survive for long without sleep.
Sleep is therefore of vital importance and for our body and mind not a passive event at all. On the contrary, while we sleep, many physical and psychological functions are regulated and restored, such as these:
During our sleep, emotions are stabilized and balanced. It is not for nothing that there is the expression 'sleep over it for a night'.
Everything we learn during the day is processed during our sleep. In this way, sleep also has a positive influence on our memory. For example, the importance of sufficient sleep for students cannot be overemphasized.
Sleep has a positive effect on our immune system: a good night's sleep ensures beneficial interactions between the cells of the immune system. Even if you are sick, sleep helps to recover.
Our brain processes all the impressions and impressions of the day during our sleep. Some things are stored in the long-term memory, others are erased by the brain.
Sufficient sleep regulates our metabolism and feeling of satiety. It ensures that you do not quickly reach for sugars during the day, so that your body weight remains stable.
Sleep also has an important influence on our cardiovascular system: Studies show that a prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to cardiovascular problems.
Our biological clock tells us when to sleep
Sufficient sleep is crucial for continued functioning. Our body also indicates that. After all, we all have an internal biological clock that determines our rhythm of life. During daylight, all kinds of brain and body functions are activated and as the evening and night approach, they go back into 'sleep mode'.
That internal biological clock is not the same in every human being. That immediately explains the phenomenon of the morning and evening person. In some people, alertness peaks earlier in the day than in others.
The transition between the day and night rhythm is communicated by the brain via a hormone in the blood: melatonin . Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland and is then released into the blood. This happens in the evening when it gets dark and the amount increases during the night. By early morning, melatonin levels drop again, signaling the body to wake up.
For example, melatonin tells you when to go to sleep and when to wake up. The material draws, as it were, the framework within which sleep must take place.
The sleep cycle: the different types of sleep throughout the night
When our body produces melatonin, it signals that it is time to go to sleep. Our sleep proceeds in different cycles. Each sleep cycle lasts about 90 to 120 minutes and goes through the four sleep phases: falling asleep, light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep. All sleep phases together form a sleep cycle and in a normal night it is gone through 4 to 5 times.
Fall asleep
Fall asleep
When we fall asleep , our body temperature drops and the muscles relax. That only takes 3 to 5 minutes. At this early stage of sleep, you can easily be startled awake. You know the feeling of falling into a pit? That is typical for this phase and normally you fall asleep immediately afterwards.
Light sleep
Light sleep
After falling asleep, light sleep follows . Here you sleep, but not deep enough yet. You no longer wake up to every sound. This is followed by deep sleep and REM sleep. But what is the difference between deep sleep and REM sleep?
Deep sleep
Deep sleep
During deep sleep, breathing and heart rate slow down. The body then recovers from the efforts of the day. Our body does this by sending more blood to the muscles. This phase provides physical rest.
REM sleep
REM sleep
The REM sleep is sometimes called dream sleep. 'Rem' stands for 'rapid eye movement'. You can also take that quite literally, because during this phase our closed eyes can turn in all directions. Our brains are then very active, which means that a lot of mental processing takes place. Many emotions, data and impressions are moved into our long-term memory during this phase. This is also the stage of emotional recovery.
If you can't sleep?
Many people have trouble sleeping at certain times in their lives. There can be several reasons for this. For most, these sleep problems are temporary because they are under stress or going through a difficult period. Others actually suffer from insomnia. However, going straight to heavy sleep medication is not a long-term solution.
In both cases, rest and relaxation is crucial to have a restful night. Consciously making time for relaxation an hour before going to sleep is therefore a must.
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The importance of good sleep hygiene
Anyone who occasionally has the feeling of getting up tired, or who already feels tired in the middle of the morning, can benefit from taking a closer look at their sleep hygiene. By changing a number of things in your sleep routine, you can already experience a positive effect on your night's sleep and you will sleep better.