Essay on Sleep

It's often cited as a cure-all for a wide range of mental and physical ailments: get eight straight hours of sleep and you should be fine. Why do we need eight straight hours of sleep and what can we do to get it?

Simply put, sleep is "anabolic," that is, a building process. While you sleep, your body repairs itself and muscle tissue gets restored. So if you don't get enough sleep you accumulate what is known as "sleep debt" and have to make up the lost time. Excessive sleep debt can result in insomnia and other sleep disorders. Eight hours is the average number that most human bodies automatically adjust to in ideal situations. There is little empirical evidence to show that taking a nap during the day makes up for los and other t sleep. Eight straight is still the best advice modern medicine has to give you if you want to feel refreshed and healthy every morning.

If you think that sleep is overrated, here are a few things to ponder. When you're an adolescent, the growth hormone that you need in order to develop strong bones and muscles gets secreted while you sleep. And sleep is something everybody needs, not just teenagers: recent studies have shown that it it's largely a myth that you need less sleep as you get older. A recent study also confirmed that women seem to suffer more from poor sleep than men. This can lead to higher rates of depression in women, as well as higher BMI (body mass index) and less sensitivity to insulin. But be it man or woman, young or old, your body still operates based on fundamental daily rhythms. Possibly the single most important step toward good health is getting good, regular sleep.

There are many things that you can do to get a good night's sleep. Make sure your mattress is right for you: a mattress that is too soft or too hard can ruin your night, so make sure to consult a mattress professional before making an investment. The same is true of pillows. Make sure that the pillow you use gives you the proper support. If it lifts your head too far up, or not far enough, it can cause discomfort and painful neck strain.

You should also make sure that you don't work on your bed. Your bedroom should be used mainly for sleep- don't finish that report or pay your bills where you sleep. It sends the wrong signals to your