School work, extracurriculars, social life and more – there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done. So, why sleep? Isn’t that an inadequate use of time?
Long story short: no. Sleep is an essential part of life that aids in promoting health and deterring disease.
In order to delve into the importance of sleep, it’s important to understand the science behind it. First on the list is what makes us sleep, and why we sometimes lay awake for hours in bed, unable to fall asleep despite trying desperately. The primary reason this happens is due to a malfunction of something known as the internal “body clock,” which regulates your sleep cycle by controlling the cycles of fatigue and alertness. The “body clock” operates on a 24-hour circadian rhythm cycle and is impacted by factors such as chemicals, hormones, light, or just choosing to delay sleep. Our generation has negatively altered our sleep cycle by looking at screens minutes before bed and pushing off sleep to cram for tests and assignments.
In fact, while it’s recommended that most adults sleep for at least seven hours per night, 70% of American adults report insufficient sleep at least one night every month. This is an alarming statistic as sleep is critical for both healthy cognitive functions and general emotional wellness.
Sleep allows the brain and body to slow down and engage in processes of recovery that promote physical and mental performance in the long-run. Additionally, while there are still unanswered questions about the biological importance of sleep, research has pointed to sleep as a means of reinforcing cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune systems.
As a result, the reasons why sleep is important make up a long list. One of the most critical and applicable effects of adequate sleep is better productivity and concentration. Researchers have suggested a positive correlation between the amount of sleep you get – which should be up to ten hours for adults – and cognitive functions like productivity and problem solving. Furthermore, a 2015 study found that the sleep patterns of children had a direct impact on their behavior and academic performance.
Another positive consequence of getting enough sleep is that it helps regulate food intake through the hormones responsible for appetite, which can reduce the risk of weight gain. Though it’s important to note there is no clear link between weight gain and health, evidence suggests that adequate sleep leads to less calorie consumption.
There have also been a number of studies that illustrate the positive impacts of sleep on physical health, some of which include boosting your immune system, reducing inflammation, lowering the risk for heart disease and strokes (as adequate sleep has been linked to the body’s ability to regulate blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a prime risk factor for heart disease and strokes), and lowering the risk for kidney diseases and diabetes (since sleep has also been linked to the repair of the heart and blood vessels, which is crucial for proper kidney and pancreatic health).
On top of all that, sleep also does wonders for mental health, and decreases the risks for illnesses such as depression.
On the flip side, we can also consider the consequences of pulling all-nighters, which many of us are probably guilty of. A prime side effect of not getting enough sleep is decreased productivity – which is the last thing a college student trying to meet deadlines wants to hear. The reason for this is that people with sleep deficiencies take longer to complete tasks, make more mistakes, and have delayed reaction times. Even losing just one to two hours of sleep a night for a few consecutive nights impairs functioning to the point where it’s as if you haven’t slept at all for a day or two.
Furthermore, there are more serious dangers to not getting an adequate amount of sleep due to a phenomenon known as “microsleep.” Contrary to its cute name, microsleep refers to the brief moments where you doze off or “sleep” during the times you’re normally awake. An example of this is shutting your eyes for what you think is a few seconds mid-class and discovering that you’ve missed big chunks of the lecture. The frightening thing about microsleep is that it can’t be controlled, and it often happens without our consent; most of the time, we’re only aware of it after the fact. Experiencing microsleep while driving, operating dangerous machinery, crossing the street, etc. can be extremely dangerous.
While I can’t say that pulling that all-nighter for some much-needed studying or foregoing a few hours of sleep to complete an assignment isn’t worth it, it is important to keep in mind the importance of sleep and the consequences of constantly pushing yourself. Sleep is a critical component of good health and should be a priority for everyone, just like any other aspect of health. So, if you’re reading this article at 1 AM, please put down your phone, turn off your screens, and go to sleep! After all, you’re not doing yourself any favors by running yourself ragged in the short run.