Why is sleep important?

HAPPY WORLD SLEEP DAY!

FLO mattress might not be the expert on sleep disorders, but we definitely consider ourselves as brand ambassadors of good night’s sleep.

This World Sleep Day we aim to create awareness about the importance of sleep.

Sleep is one of the most crucial factors for your health and wellbeing, throughout your life. And in a similar perspective, a mattress is the most crucial factor for your good sleep. A mattress should provide you with the right support and comfort. Choose from different options of the mattress like FLO Orthopedic mattress and FLO Ergonomic mattress, to suit your requirement and choice.

So, What Happens When We Sleep?

As we drift off to sleep, your body starts working on some of the most vital functions that are required to maintain health and prevent certain diseases and disorders.

During sleep our body takes rest, conserves energy, reduces heart rate, decreases blood pressure, breathing as well as the body temperature. This time, our brain stays active, restoring day time mental functioning.

All these processes help you to -

• Repair of tissues and stimulation to our physical and mental growth.
• Improvement of the immune system
• Recover from the day’s activities
• Control metabolism and weight
• Improve concentration, mood and patience, and reduce the chances of depression.
• Maintain cardiovascular health

If you are sleep-deprived regularly, these processes are interrupted and you are at a greater risk of developing health problems.

Sleep Stages

A sleep pattern is divided into five stages, starting from stage 1 (light sleep), through stages 3 and 4 (deep sleep) up to stage 5 called as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Only if you sleep at peace for enough hours, would you complete all five stages of sleep. At different stages of sleep different repair and restoration process occurs and completing each stage is important.

How much sleep is enough?

While this is specific to an individual, there is a certain guideline that needs to be followed, as suggested in the table below:

Age	Recommended amount of sleep
Infants aged 4–12 months	12–16 hours a day (including naps)
Children aged 1–2 years	11–14 hours a day (including naps)
Children aged 3–5 years	10–13 hours a day (including naps)
Children aged 6–13 years	9–11 hours a day
Teens aged 14–18 years	8–10 hours a day
Adults aged 18–64 years	7–9 hours a day
Adults aged 65+ years	7–8 hours a day

Impact of not getting enough sleep

Short-term health impact

You don’t have to wait to see the impact of less sleep, its effects show up quickly. Sleeping for very less time can result in -

• Increased stress – The sleep-deprived people experience stress, confusion and indecisiveness.
  
  
• Increased blood pressure- Especially those who are affected, may get such symptoms.
  
  
• Disturb mood- Sleep-deprived people tend to think negative, find more faults, and get annoyed very quickly.
  
  
• Difficulty in concentrating – Such people lack attention. Attention is a vital skill that helps us stay safe.

Long-term health impact

Sometimes, the lack of sleep is not seen or understood as a critical matter. Some people feel it’s alright to skip on sleep every now and then. But you must have experienced how much time body takes to come back in the normal routine. The long-term effects of regular sleep deprivation can be scary, which includes:

1. Increased risk of diabetes - Research has shown that sleep deprivation and insulin resistance may be linked. A good night's sleep regulates our hormones and other body processes.
   
   
2. Increased risk for breast cancer – Research shows a strong connection between less sleep and recurrence of tumours.
   
   
3. High blood pressure - Short sleep duration is linked with hypertension.
   
   
4. Decreased immune function - People who don’t sleep enough are more likely to catch infections like a common cold.
   
   
5. Depression – Sleep helps manage anxiety and depression. People suffering from insomnia don’t get adequate sleep and develop depression. Because of depression, sleep is negatively affected, this creates a vicious cycle.
   
   
6. Obesity - Brain scans reports have shown that sleep-deprived people find it hard to control emotions and to be judgmental about high-calorie and low-calorie foods. This causes them to overeat and make poor food choices, which results in obesity. Lack of sleep also affects hormonal balance causing you to eat more because you don’t know when to stop.
   
   
7. Impact on relationships – It is not about your own self, it impacts your relationship with spouse, children and friends. Inadequate sleep can impair our ability to appreciate people around, which can lead to stress and tension in the relationship.

Conclusion

Good night sleep is one of the easiest and best things you can do for your health. So if you wish to be more effective at work, fight off infections better, keep a healthy gut, drive more safely, be friendly with surrounding people, then work to get a better Sleep.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1: Why night sleep is important?

A: Night sleep is important because it allows our body to follow the natural circadian rhythm, a 24-hour internal clock that regulates various physiological processes. The circadian rhythm is regulated by the hypothalamus in the brain, which response to changes in light and darkness.

2: Why is sleep important for the brain?

A: Sleep is incredibly important to health, as it plays a critical role in both physical and mental well-being.

3: Why is sleep important for the brain?

A: Sleep is essential for brain function and health. It plays a critical role in memory consolidation, cognitive function, brain plasticity, emotional regulation, and waste removal. Getting enough high-quality sleep is crucial for optimal brain performance and overall well-being.