What's really going on when you Sleep and it's benefit?

Have you ever watched someone sleep and wondered what he or she was dreaming? The person’s outward appearance would never give it away: slow breathing, eyes occasionally fluttering, but mostly the very picture of peace and stillness. But, appearances can be deceiving. When people sleep, there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye. The notion of sleep as the body’s ultimate “down time” has some truth to it, but sleep is also an active process, in which the brain can be remarkably active, even if the body

Why Do We Sleep?

The function of sleep is not entirely clear, but researchers believe that REM sleep is important for solidifying memories, and perhaps for even more critical functions. Rodents completely deprived of REM sleep die after a few weeks. Non-REM sleep, meanwhile, seems to be important in providing a sense of restored energy and ability to concentrate during the day. A number of theories about sleep attempt to explain its role or roles: a restorative for the mind and body in preparation for the day ahead; or a way of reducing energy consumption, to save energy for activities occurring during the day. Some scientists believe that sleep is evolution’s way of improving survival by preventing animals from preying on each other 24 hours a day.

Too little sleep or poor-quality sleep can cause a number of problems, including difficulty with short-term memory, concentration, depression, anxiety, irritability, poor energy and reduced libido. In short, quality of life at work and at home may suffer terribly due to insufficient or poor sleep. All of these problems may resolve when sleep duration increases or sleep quality improves.

One problem related to sleep deprivation deserves particular emphasis: Automobile and truck accidents attributed to sleepy drivers account for thousands of deaths each year.

Although the impact is uncertain in humans, sleep-deprived rodents have reduced immune function and higher susceptibility to infection.

The Bottom Line

The importance of sleep is self-evident, yet much remains unknown or uncertain about how we sleep, why we sleep and how to improve sleep. One thing is certain, however: Sleep is not a passive process or a complete “shut down” of the body – many stages of sleep are as active for the mind as being awake. So, the next time you see someone sleeping, keep in mind that though the body may look quiet and peaceful, there is much more to the story.