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Sleep can help strengthen memory and store long-term memories because during sleep, the hippocampus and cerebral cortex are stimulated. In addition, it also helps restore energy for a more effective working day.
1. How does the body change when sleeping?
Sleep goes through 4 cyclical stages. If sleep lasts 7 - 9 hours, the sleep cycle is likely to repeat 4 times per night, with intervals ranging from 70 to 120 minutes.
Sleep pattern consists of two main stages: Non-Rapid Eye Movement (non-REM) sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. There are 3 stages of non-REM sleep and 1 stage of REM sleep. Non-REM sleep is characterized by the absence of eye movements, while REM sleep is characterized by rapid eye movements.
The four stages of sleep that describe human activity during sleep are described as follows:
Stage 1: Non-REM sleep
Stage 1 occurs during early sleep. Brain waves, heart rate, and eye movements slow down. This phase lasts for about 7 minutes.
Stage 2: Non-REM sleep
This stage occurs just before deep sleep. At this point, body temperature drops, eye movements stop, heart rate and muscles continue to relax. Brain survival spikes then slows down. During a night of sleep, stage 2 takes up the most time.
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Stage 3: Non-REM sleep
During stages 3 and 4, deep sleep begins. The eyes and muscles do not move, and the brain waves continue to slow down further.
Deep sleep facilitates the body to replenish energy, repair cells, tissues and muscles. Therefore, this is an important period, helping the body to feel alert and refreshed the next day.
Stage 4: REM sleep
This stage first lasts about 90 minutes, then falls asleep. During REM sleep, the eyes move rapidly from side to side; Brain waves, heart rate, and breathing rate also increase.
Dreams often occur during REM sleep. The brain also processes information during this stage. Therefore, this is an important period for learning and memorization.
2. How many hours of sleep a day is enough?
The amount of hours of sleep depends on age. The US CDC recommends the following sleep times based on age:
Infants - 3 months: 14 - 17 hours 4 - 12 months: 12 - 16 hours per day, including naps 1 - 2 age: 11 - 14 hours a day, including naps 3 - 5 years old: 10 - 13 hours a day, including naps 6 - 12 years old: 9 - 12 hours 13 - 18 years old: 8 - 10 hours 18 - 60 years old: 7 hours or more 61 - 64 years old: 7 - 9 hours 65 years and older: 7 - 8 hours
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3. What happens if you don't get enough sleep?
If you don't get enough sleep, your body can't function properly. Sleep deprivation has been linked to chronic health problems affecting the heart, kidneys, blood, brain, and mental health.
Sleep deprivation is also associated with an increased risk of injury for both adults and children. For example, a drowsy driver can cause a serious car accident or even death.
In older adults, poor sleep is associated with an increased risk of falls and fractures.
Consequences of sleep deprivation include:
Mood swings Anxiety states Depression Poor memory Poor concentration Poor motor function Fatigue Weak immune system Weight gain High blood pressure Insulin resistance Chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease Increased risk of premature death
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4. Why do we have to sleep?
To date, scientists have shown a number of benefits of sleep as follows:
4.1. Conserve energy
Sleep allows the body to consume fewer calories, minimizing the metabolism in the body. Scientific studies show that sleeping 8 hours can save 35% of calories consumed during the day.
According to this scientific theory, the main purpose of sleep is to reduce energy consumption during the day and night, which occurs when the food supply is not enough for the body to function effectively.
4.2. Cell recovery
Sleep allows time for cells to repair themselves and regenerate new cells. This activity is aided by many important processes that occur during sleep, including:
Repair of muscle mass Protein synthesis Growth of muscle tissue Release of hormones
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4.3. Improve brain function
When you sleep, the glymphatic system in the brain works to remove waste products from the central nervous system. It removes toxic products, accumulated substances from the brain. This helps your brain function better when you wake up.
Sleep contributes to memory function by converting short-term memories into long-term memories, as well as deleting or forgetting unnecessary information that can disturb the nervous system.
Sleep affects many aspects of brain function, including:
Learning Memory Problem Solving Skills Creativity Decision Making Finding Focus Concentration
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4.4. Stimulating positive emotions
Sleep is essential for emotional health. During sleep, brain activity increases in areas that regulate emotions, thus supporting healthy brain function and emotional stability.
Sleep increases the activity of the following brain regions:
Amygdala Stimulant hippocampus Insula Middle prefrontal cortex Sleep helps regulate emotions in the amygdala by limiting risk overreaction of fear. The amygdala is an area of the brain located in the temporal lobe that is responsible for triggering the fear response, which occurs when the body is faced with perceived threats such as stressful situations.
Research shows that sleep and mental health are closely linked. On the one hand, sleep disorders can contribute to the onset and progression of mental health problems, but on the other hand, mental health problems can also contribute to sleep disorders.
4.5. Maintain body weight
Sleep helps maintain weight by controlling hunger hormones. These hormones include ghrelin, which increases appetite, and leptin, which increases feelings of fullness after eating.
During sleep, ghrelin decreases because you use less energy while awake. However, sleep deprivation increases ghrelin and inhibits leptin. This imbalance makes you hungry faster, increasing your risk of overeating and weight gain.
Recent research shows that chronic sleep deprivation, even just 5 nights in a row, can increase the risk of:
Obesity Metabolic syndrome Type 2 diabetes
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4.6. Maintain insulin action
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells use glucose for energy. However, in insulin resistance, the cells do not respond properly to insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels that cause type 2 diabetes.
Sleep can protect the body against insulin resistance. It keeps the cells healthy so that they easily absorb glucose.
The brain also uses less glucose during sleep, which helps the body regulate the overall amount of glucose in the blood.
4.7. Improve immunity
Sleep has a great influence on the immune system. Lack of sleep can suppress the immune response and make the body more susceptible to infections.
When you sleep, your body produces cytokines, which are anti-inflammatory proteins. It also produces certain antibodies and immune cells that help prevent disease by killing harmful germs. That's why sleep is so important when sick or stressed.
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4.8. Improve heart health
Sleep helps support heart health. This stems from the link between cardiovascular disease and poor sleep.
According to the US CDC, an average adult needs 7 hours of sleep per night. Sleeping less than that can lead to health problems, many of which can take a toll on heart health.
Lack of sleep is associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including:
High blood pressure Increased sympathetic nervous system activity Increased infections trigger an inflammatory response Elevated cortisol levels Increased weight Insulin resistance Check Periodic health helps to detect diseases early, thereby having a treatment plan with optimal results. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has general health checkup packages suitable for each age, gender and individual needs of customers with a reasonable price policy.
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Reference source: webmd.com; healthline.com; hopkinsmedicine.org
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Sleep disorders - obsession of the elderly 8 ways to improve sleep quality for old age What drugs treat insomnia?
