Sleep is possibly one of the most overlooked aspects of health. It does so much for us and asks so little. How often do we forgo sleep in order to accomplish a task, have fun with friends, watch a movie, or play online? “I only need a few hours of sleep,” we say, but what damage are we actually doing to ourselves? What constitutes good sleep?
There are five stages of sleep, the most important being Stage 5 or Rapid Eye Movement (REM). This is where our dreaming occurs. REM sleep is entered several times during sleep and the amount of time spent in it gets progressively longer.
Sleep is actually our body and mind’s way of resetting and restoring. Without this important reset we enter what is called Sleep Deprivation/Sleep Debt. This is the state in which the amount of sleep gotten is less than the amount of sleep needed. This can be a dangerous state over longer periods. Studies have shown that sleep deprived animals often die after just a few short weeks.
Can missing a few hours of sleep really be all that bad? Sleep debt can cause a wide variety of both mental and physical problems. Minor sleep deprivation can cause drowsiness and decrease alertness, but it can also cause memory loss, the inability to process new information, decreased attention span, and depression. Physically, sleep debt can cause an increase in cortisol release in the body. This can lead to loss of appetite, weight gain, hypertension, and immune system issues.
Sleep is an important part of the lifecycle. It is the restart button on the computer in our skull. While at rest, the body restores and rejuvenates. Simply put, it is the state where the body works to repair and optimize itself. Sleep is the time when we organize and categorize all new information, fights infections, repairs muscular problems, balances our body chemistry and all around reset the foundation of our bodies.
How much sleep do we need? According to the National Sleep Foundation, this can vary across the span of our lives.
Age Sleep Required
Newborns (0-2 months) 10.5-18 hours
Infants (2 months-11 months) 9-11 @ night, ½ hr-2 hr naps 4x daily
Toddler (1-3 years) 12-14 hours
Preschool (3-5 years) 11-13 hours
School (5-12 years) 10-11 hours
Teens (11-17 years) 8.5-9.25 hours
Adults 7-9 hours
Older Adults 7-9 hours
Sleep is just one area of optimal health, but without proper sleep, our physical and cognitive abilities slow down. What’s 2+2? Wouldn’t you hate to have to count on your fingers again?
There are five stages of sleep, the most important being Stage 5 or Rapid Eye Movement (REM). This is where our dreaming occurs. REM sleep is entered several times during sleep and the amount of time spent in it gets progressively longer.
Sleep is actually our body and mind’s way of resetting and restoring. Without this important reset we enter what is called Sleep Deprivation/Sleep Debt. This is the state in which the amount of sleep gotten is less than the amount of sleep needed. This can be a dangerous state over longer periods. Studies have shown that sleep deprived animals often die after just a few short weeks.
Can missing a few hours of sleep really be all that bad? Sleep debt can cause a wide variety of both mental and physical problems. Minor sleep deprivation can cause drowsiness and decrease alertness, but it can also cause memory loss, the inability to process new information, decreased attention span, and depression. Physically, sleep debt can cause an increase in cortisol release in the body. This can lead to loss of appetite, weight gain, hypertension, and immune system issues.
Sleep is an important part of the lifecycle. It is the restart button on the computer in our skull. While at rest, the body restores and rejuvenates. Simply put, it is the state where the body works to repair and optimize itself. Sleep is the time when we organize and categorize all new information, fights infections, repairs muscular problems, balances our body chemistry and all around reset the foundation of our bodies.
How much sleep do we need? According to the National Sleep Foundation, this can vary across the span of our lives.
Age Sleep Required
Newborns (0-2 months) 10.5-18 hours
Infants (2 months-11 months) 9-11 @ night, ½ hr-2 hr naps 4x daily
Toddler (1-3 years) 12-14 hours
Preschool (3-5 years) 11-13 hours
School (5-12 years) 10-11 hours
Teens (11-17 years) 8.5-9.25 hours
Adults 7-9 hours
Older Adults 7-9 hours
Sleep is just one area of optimal health, but without proper sleep, our physical and cognitive abilities slow down. What’s 2+2? Wouldn’t you hate to have to count on your fingers again?