Why Is Sleep So Imperative & How Much Sleep Do We Need?
We spend one third of our lives sleeping - and it’s not for nothing! Sleep is absolutely imperative for our wellbeing. Why, you might ask? Well, it’s as important, if not more important than a healthy diet, daily movement, or good mental health.
What is the right amount of sleep?
Studies show that up to 35% of adults in America do not get enough sleep - the recommended sleep cycle being 6 - 10 hours each night. Teenagers and young adults generally need closer to 10 hours per night while seniors usually need less sleep, or closer to 6 hours. As you can see the range of sleep needed is fairly wide. Therefore, it is important to take into consideration your age, your own physical make-up, your personal needs and lifestyle when determining what is the right amount of sleep for you.
More recent data seems to point to the average adult benefiting from closer to 7 hours per night instead of 8 hours. 8 hours per night had been the recommended number for many years but a 2016 meta-analysis involving 35 published studies and over 1.5 million adults found the lowest mortality is actually associated with seven hours of sleep. Our internal sleep systems also seem to be also pointed toward achieving 7 hours as well.
Why do we need sleep?
When we are asleep, a lot is happening on a biological level. The brain is getting rid of toxic waste, nerve cells are communicating and making alterations, dead cells are turning over, new cells are being generated, hormones and proteins are getting regulated, the muscles deeply relax and restore… and so much more. Sleep is imperative to the functioning of our entire biology.
Research demonstrates that sleep serves a major memory consolidation function for declarative (facts), procedural (motor skills), and emotional memory by processing new memories into existing memory networks. During sleep, the brain selectively processes relevant vs. irrelevant short-term memories from learning episodes during the day and integrates relevant memories into existing long-term memory networks. Dream sleep, in particular, is tied to consolidation of emotional memories. Additionally, dream sleep appears to serve an emotional homeostasis function in which down-regulation of emotional arousal, linked to emotional events and memories, takes place. By storing emotional memories without the emotional arousal tied to the original emotional event, those emotional memories can be used in the future without re-experiencing the original negative emotional arousal associated with them. Literally, we sleep to remember and sleep to forget - Gregg D. Jacobs, PH.D
Here is what tends to happen when we don’t get enough sleep:
Inability to focus well. We all know how difficult it is to get through a work day after a terrible night of sleep! Our ability to think, process information, and even form cohesive thoughts gets impaired.
We tend to overeat and/or choose unhealthy options. “For instance, sleep deprivation increases levels of ghrelin and decreases levels of leptin. Ghrelin is a hormone that makes us feel hungry while leptin makes us feel full. This may cause us to feel hungrier and overeat.” - Healthline
Anxiety and stress gets heightened. If the nervous system, hormones, and cellular regeneration are out of whack.. mental health takes an inevitable nose-dive..
Here is what happens when we DO get the proper amount of sleep:
We are more productive and mentally sharp. Our ability to focus for longer periods of time is increased, we can process information more effectively, and our energy levels help us maintain extended hours of mental activity without crashing especially when completing more mundane tasks.
Our immune system is supported and heals. Antibody responses are boosted and old cells and unhealthy toxins are turned over and released.
We perform better athletically. Sleep decreases inflammation which yields a better physical performance. Bones are less likely to break, muscles are less likely to get pulled, we can perform for longer, etc.
We are happier! We are able to communicate more effectively with friends and family from a rested state, we are more motivated to accomplish our daily tasks, and when we feel good physically, we do better in every area of life. Mood state is probably the most obvious benefit of a good night’s sleep.
In our college days, we may have glorified not getting enough sleep. But it’s important to recognize sleep as an essential pillar of health! Give yourself the rest you deserve. If you can take a 15-minute power nap at some point in the day, even better!
While a quick nap can be helpful, napping too much can be destructive to the overall health of the sleep drive so it is important to know how to nap properly! We’ll have a follow up blog post for you soon on the benefits of napping and how to do it properly!
If you are struggling with sleep - check out my ‘10 Hypnosis Recordings’ for insomnia and/or the ‘Six Weeks to Better Sleep’ online course in the shop.