What is sleep and why it matters?
Sleep is a natural, recurring state of reduced consciousness and sensory activity that is essential for the body and brain to rest, restore, and recover. It is characterized by decreased awareness of the external environment, muscle activity, and ability to respond to stimuli.
During sleep, the body undergoes numerous physiological processes, including tissue repair and growth, immune system maintenance, hormone regulation, and memory consolidation.
A little bit of facts:
More than 65% of adults fail to get enough sleep.
The World health organisation has declared sleep loss a global epidemic in industrialised countries. By some estimates the loss in productivity because of lack of sleep costs almost $2000 per employee annual for company - its almost $411 billion only in US.
Lack of sleep causes 1.2 mln car accident per year - that's higher than the number of accidents caused by alcohol and drugs combined.
Nearly every aspect of your mental health and well-being is impacted by sleep. Sleep affects:
on immune system:
During sleep, the body produces cytokines, a type of protein that helps fight infections, inflammation, and stress. Sleep also regulates the production of white blood cells, which fight off foreign invaders. Lack of sleep can weaken the immune system, making the body more vulnerable to infections.
metabolism:
Lack of sleep affects hormones that control appetite (leptin and ghrelin), which can cause overeating and weight gain. It can also disrupt energy balance by reducing physical activity and increasing fatigue, leading to weight gain and metabolic dysfunction. Additionally, sleep deprivation reduces insulin sensitivity, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic disorders.
cardiovascular system:
During sleep, blood pressure and heart rate decrease, reducing stress on the heart and blood vessels. Lack of sleep can disrupt this natural rhythm, increasing the risk of hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. Sleep also regulates inflammation and glucose metabolism, reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
emotional well-being:
During sleep, the brain processes and consolidates emotional memories and experiences, which helps regulate mood and emotional responses. Sleep deprivation can disrupt this process and lead to emotional dysregulation, such as increased anxiety, irritability, and depression.
Sleep also plays a role in regulating neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are involved in mood regulation.
memory:
During sleep, the brain processes and integrates new information with existing knowledge, strengthening and consolidating memories. Sleep also helps to prioritize and filter out irrelevant or unnecessary information, allowing for better retention of important details.
Different stages of sleep play different roles in memory consolidation. Slow-wave sleep (SWS) is particularly important for consolidating declarative memories, such as facts and events, while rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is important for consolidating procedural memories, such as skills and habits.
hormonal Regulation:
Growth hormone is produced and released during sleep, which is essential for growth, development, and tissue repair. Cortisol (hormone that is produced in the adrenal gland in response to stress) as well as melatonin (regulates the sleep-wake cycle), are also regulated during sleep. Above that, sleep plays a role in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which is responsible for regulating the production and release of reproductive hormones, such as testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.
Sleep is critical not only for your body, but also for your mind and the lives of others. We believe it is more than enough to pay attention to our lifestyle and start improving our habits to live a healthy, happy life.