It’s the thing we have a love/hate relationship with. We love going to sleep and we love sleeping, but we hate having to wake up. Sleep is responsible for managing our mental and physical health as well as maintaining our quality of life. Sleep determines how well we think, react, act and work each day. The saying “I woke up on the wrong side of the bed” to depict a bad attitude stems from how well you sleep. Since we spend so much time sleeping (or at least, we should), it really is that important.
Why is Sleep Important?
Sleep is our body’s way of maintaining our physical and mental health. Each night our brain is able to rest and rejuvenate its functions. Our body is able to heal and repair the heart and blood vessels. It helps boost our immune system to keep us healthy, improve our learning processes and strengthen our memories. That’s right: despite popular belief among college students, you should not stay up all night cramming for an exam. Getting the right amount of sleep also improves reaction time, attitude, and other social and physical factors.
What Happens if I Don’t Get Enough Sleep?
There are a number of chronic health problems that come as a result of lack of sleep. Increased risk for heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and depression are just a few chronic health problems linked to sleep deprivation.
It is also linked to increased weight gain. This is due to the brain and hormonal activity that takes place during sleep cycles. Grehlin is a chemical the brain releases to make you feel hungrier. Its opposite, lepton, makes you feel full. When your brain isn’t able to manage these hormones due to lack of sleep, the amount of grehlin increases, making you succumb to those late night munchies.
Lack of sleep also affects metabolism, alertness and memory. Skip out on sleep, and you might find your performance at work or school sharply decreased.
How Much Sleep Should I get?
The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following hours of sleep for specific ages:
- 0 – 3 months: 14 – 17 hr
- 4 – 11 months: 12 – 15 hr
- 1 – 2 years: 11 – 14 hr
- 3 – 5 years: 10 – 13 hr
- 6 – 13 years: 9 – 11 hr
- 14 – 17 years: 8 – 10 hr
- 18 – 64 years: 7 – 9 hr
- 65 years and older: 7 – 8 hr
Are you having trouble sleeping? Do you relate to any of the sleep deprivation symptoms above? Call our office at 801-724-9840. Our award-winning doctors specialize in depression and can help you determine if you are sleep deprived.