The half-asleep brain made it difficult to measure response time and made scientists start to question their initial definition of sleep. Remember, part of being asleep means being still, and since dolphins still swam around it seemed that they did not fit into that category. They found a few animals like bees that seemed to not need extra sleep.
Yet, the scientists decided the experiments done were flawed because only the length of sleep was tested, not the quality of sleep. Here is a table from the original article that lists all the animals the scientists thought were examples of not sleeping or not using rebound sleep.
The first column looks at animals that meet the definition of sleep, the second column looks at whether the animals make up their sleep and the third column talks about why the animals were considered special cases. Finally, scientists looked at whether not sleeping has serious consequences. In studies where people went without sleep, they found that people became half-awake, kind of like zombies walking around mindlessly. The scientists also found that sleep-deprived people got so tired they fell asleep no matter what they were doing.
Sometimes, people fell asleep while driving and that is really dangerous! Obviously, the scientists decided that not sleeping is bad for your health. In the end, the scientists concluded that sleep must have some kind of necessary function; otherwise, it would not be universal and it would not be damaging to our health to go without sleep.
The next step is to figure out what exactly sleep does. The scientists think that however sleep affects the body, the major function of sleep is the same in every animal. This means they believe that sleep evolved early because it helps all animals live better lives. The scientists also think that the function of sleep has something to do with the brain because that is the part of the body that is affected most by the lack of sleep. Other scientific studies about memory help support the idea that sleep is important for the brain by showing that sleep helps us retain more information.
It is believed that we enter this resting stage so our energy reserves can be replaced and replenished [5]. As we go to sleep, we are helping our body rest and conserve energy. It is during this phase when our lungs and heart do not work as tirelessly as when we are awake. This gives our organs a vital recharge [6]. As mentioned before, it is during this rest period where our bodies repair themselves. It is also during sleep when our immune systems improve themselves to protect our health and well-being [7].
Sleeping an extra two hours burns around calories. A study conducted at the Hendrix College in Arkansas showed that those who slept for two hours longer ate less thus reducing their calorie consumption up to [8].
Understanding the function of sleep is incredibly valuable to our overall health. For some, sleep deprivation is a common occurrence, but constantly interrupting the sleep cycle can be dangerous. When we become sleep deprived, it affects us in a multitude of ways. Not being able to sleep well can affect our moods during the day. Some of us become irritable, short, and even indifferent.
Cognitive function is also affected by a lack of sleep. Problem-solving, memory retention, recall, and focus can all decline when we are robbed of deep sleep or slow-wave sleep at night. These signals help the brain determine whether it is day or night. As natural light disappears in the evening, the body will release melatonin, a hormone that induces drowsiness. When the sun rises in the morning, the body will release the hormone known as cortisol that promotes energy and alertness.
Once we fall asleep, our bodies follow a sleep cycle divided into four stages. These four stages will repeat cyclically throughout the night until you wake up. For most people, the duration of each cycle will last about minutes. You may also wake up briefly during the night but not remember the next day. The right amount of sleep largely depends on your age. The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following daily sleep allotment for different age groups.
For most adults, at least seven hours of sleep each night is needed for proper cognitive and behavioral functions.
An insufficient amount of sleep can lead to serious repercussions. Some studies have shown sleep deprivation leaves people vulnerable to attention lapses, reduced cognition, delayed reactions, and mood shifts.
Even though their brains and bodies struggle due to lack of sleep, they may not be aware of their own deficiencies because less sleep feels normal to them. Additionally, lack of sleep has been linked to a higher risk for certain diseases and medical conditions.
These include obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, poor mental health , and early death.
Adults who do not receive a sufficient amount of sleep each night can implement some positive lifestyle and sleep habits in order to log the needed seven to nine hours. These include the following:. Alexa Fry is a science writer with experience working for the National Cancer Institute.
She also holds a certificate in technical writing. His research and clinical practice focuses on the entire myriad of sleep disorders. A nighttime cough is the cold symptom most likely to interfere with sleep.
Learn how to sleep with a cough…. Learn more about the causes and underlying mechanisms of REM rebound, a phenomenon in which a person temporarily experiences more…. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website.
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It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity.
Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias. Even without additional studying time, the students that slept in between did 20 percent better on tests measuring their knowledge of the material.
She has a particular interest in brain science, the microbiome, and human physiology. Contact the author here. Although the final decision is usually yours, getting their buy-in is important. Kids are getting COVID pricks, people are getting out their passports, and vaccination requirements are working.
Sign up to receive Popular Science's emails and get the highlights. Sleep is crucial to staying healthy and feeling your best, and it's hard to understand this until you've subjected yourself to far less than the optimal amount of sleep.
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