What Is Sleep And Why Is It Important?

By definition, sleep is a naturally occurring state of rest during which the eyes are closed and you become unconscious. During sleep, we typically move through five phases of the sleep cycle:

• Sleep Stage 1: Light sleep, in which we drift in and out of slumber and can easily be awoken
• Sleep Stage 2: Eye movement stops and brain waves become slower
• Sleep Stage 3: Delta waves (extremely slow brain waves) begin to develop
• Sleep Stage 4: The brain produces delta waves almost exclusively. There is no eye movement or muscle movement. This is known as deep sleep. 
• REM Sleep: Breathing grows more shallow, irregular, and rapid. Eye movement occurs rapidly in various directions. Limb muscles are temporarily paralyzed. The heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, and dreams occur.

Far too many people do not take the importance of sleep seriously. In many cases, even when individuals know they suffer from a sleeping disorder, such as sleep apnea, they refuse to seek treatment for their condition. Sleeping does more than determine whether you feel tired or alert, it is absolutely necessary to ensure every aspect of your mind and body functions properly. 

Just how important is sleep? Consider how it affects the following:

• Your brain: Without sleep, the brain cannot regenerate and function properly. People who suffer from sleep deprivation are four times more likely to experience relationship trouble and difficulty concentrating. Sleep-deprived people are also three times more likely to suffer from depression and 2.6 times more likely to commit suicide.
• Your heart: Continually getting less than six hours of sleep at night increases your risk of heart attack by 48% and your likelihood of suffering a stroke by 15%. If you are over the age of 65, your risk of having high blood pressure increases by 83%, which in turn increases your risk of a stroke or heart attack. 
• Your weight: Your body needs energy to keep going. The longer you stay awake, the more energy your body will require, and the hungrier you will become. Studies show that a lack of sleep (failing to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night) increases your risk for obesity.
• Your life expectancy: Research shows that people who sleep seven to nine hours every night live longer than those who sleep less, and even those that sleep more. Over a 25-year period, you are 12% more likely to die if you get too little or too much sleep.
• Your immune system: Sleep deprivation weakens the immune system. When you don’t get enough sleep, you are more likely to get sick. 
• Your safety: Falling asleep behind the wheel accounts for an estimated 6,000 fatal wrecks every year. According to a study by the CDC, an estimated 1 in 25 adult drivers claim to have fallen asleep while driving within the last month.

While there are a number of sleep tips to fall asleep fast, the quality of your slumber once you’ve fallen asleep is also incredibly important. The best way you can increase your amount of deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, is to increase the total amount of time you allow yourself to sleep. 

Other steps you can take to improve your sleep hygiene include:

• Go to bed at the same time every night. 
• Wake up at the same time every day.
• Avoid naps.
• Don’t stay awake in bed more than 5-10 minutes. If your mind is racing, get out of bed and sit in a chair to think until you are drowsy, then return to bed.
• Don’t read or watch TV in bed.
• Avoid caffeine for several hours before sleep, this typically means no caffeine after about noon.
• Avoid cigarettes and alcohol.
• Exercise regularly, but avoid rigorous exercise before bedtime.
•  Have a cool, dark, quiet bedroom.
• Maintain a relaxing bedtime routine, which may involve mediation or a warm bath. 

Sometimes a busy brain can prevent you from falling asleep. When you find that you can’t stop thinking about things at bedtime, consider the following tips:

• Stay up: Although sticking to a consistent bedtime is important to good sleep hygiene, you don’t want to lie awake in bed with a buzzing brain. Instead, get up and try to relax by sitting in a comfortable chair, meditating, or listening to calming music.
• Relax your muscles: It’s easier to let go of stressful thoughts when you release tension from your body. Lie on a flat surface, take a deep breath, and exhale. Then, starting with your toes and moving upward, squeeze one part of your body at a time.
• Slow your breathing: Feel the rhythm of your heart by placing a hand on your chest. Breathe in deeply for four seconds, then release a long, slow breath. Repeat this until you feel the pace of your heartbeat slowing down.
• Keep your room a screen-free zone: This means no phones, no tablets, no computers, and no TV in the bedroom.