What is sleep anyway? It seems like an obvious answer since we all sleep but the truth is that many people don’t understand sleep, how it works or why it is important. Sleep is a regular state of natural unconsciousness that is observed in humans as well as all mammals, birds and fish. Sleep is a restorative function that helps us heal, rejuvenate and cleanse the body of impurities. It is necessary to life.

Sleep helps restore both the brain and the body. Many studies have been done to reveal the connection and to show how sleep affects the hormonal balance as well as help prevent disease and more. Sleep is the opportunity for the body to slow down and heal from the day. Your body will restore itself on an individual cell level. It will work harder to boost metabolism, boost your immune system and heal.

When a person is deprived of sleep, they will show symptoms that often start minor but progress the longer the person is deprived of sleep. This doesn’t just mean a total hours of lack of sleep but also refers to regularly not getting enough sleep each night. This will eventually catch up to you and take its toll on your body and you will begin to see the signs of sleep deprivation.

For as long as man and science has been around people have been studying sleep and how it works. Today, thanks to advances in neurology, neuroscience, electronics and genetics we know more than ever before about sleep and how it helps us. One of the ways that sleep is studied today is through the use of sleep tests. Often the impulses generated by the brain during sleep are studied with an electroencephalograph (EEG) and this can tell doctors and scientists quite a bit about sleep.

Sleep contains different stages. During these stages the brain will produce different electrical impulses. The dream stage of sleep is referred to as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and it is so named because the eyes typically move under the eyelids during this stage of sleep. REM sleep is also very important to the development of the human. Activity which occurs during the REM stage helps the central nervous system develop properly.

The different stages of sleep are all needed to help the body grow, develop and repair from damage taken during the day. The proper amount of sleep each day is also essential to good health. Without sleep, we would die. Without enough sleep, serious medical consequences can occur.

Sleep is one of the most important things we can ever do for our bodies. While it is important to eat and drink, none of this will matter if we don’t also sleep. But just sleeping some each night isn’t enough; you have to get the proper amounts of sleep for it to really pay off. Studies show that most people are getting less than six hours of sleep each night. This simply isn’t enough to give your body what it needs to replenish itself.

Studies also show that nearly 75% of people suffer from some type of sleep disorder which affects their ability to get quality sleep. A bit of insomnia here and there is not a big issue but regular sleeplessness can have serious consequences. People can even die if they go long enough without sleep. It is imperative to your health that your body sleeps on a regular basis.

So why is sleep so important? Sleep helps with learning and memory. This is because it helps your brain commit new information to memory. This process is called memory consolidation and people who get more sleep have an easier time with this.

Sleep also affects your metabolism and weight. Not getting enough sleep can actually make you gain weight because your metabolism slows down. Sleep deprivation affects the way your body processes and stores carbohydrates which also affects the hormones that control appetite.

Sleep is important to your safety. When you do not get enough sleep throughout the day, there is an increased risk that you will fall asleep or doze off during the day while working, driving or operating machinery. This is obviously very dangerous to your health.

Sleep also affects your mood. Lack of proper sleep can lead to irritability, depression, impatience, moodiness and more. It can affect your job, your family, your relationships with others and just your general well being. This can also make you too tired to do the things you need to do each day which also causes mood problems.

Proper sleep boosts the immune system and helps you fight infection, disease and cancer. Lack of sleep makes you more susceptible to diseases and conditions that affect your health. Proper sleep also increases your cardiovascular health and can help you live longer. As you can see, there are many great reasons to get enough sleep each night. The more you know about the importance of sleep, the more prepared you are to increase your own health and get the proper sleep needed.