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By Miruna-Maria Cozma
Sleep – a controversial topic for our society Nowadays, with more and more people for whom sleep is not a priority, wasting nights in a row watching a new episode of their favorite series or burdened to the point of refusal with work. It is not a surprise that they start to feel overwhelmed, anxious or exhausted, starting to look for answers to this question, but not finding them. And then what could be the answer to this problem that is faced by an increasing number of people all over the world?
Well, a prime factor that leads to these overwhelming states is sleep.
Is sleep that important? If so, how?
Getting enough sleep is crucial for maintaining good health and well-being at every stage of life. How we feel during the day is influenced by the quality of our sleep. While we sleep, our bodies work to support brain function, physical health, growth, and development especially in children and teens. Chronic lack of sleep can increase the risk of long-term health issues and also impact cognitive functions, work productivity, learning, and social interactions. To understand how sleep affects your heart, metabolism, respiratory system, immune system, and how much sleep is enough, it's essential to consider the different hormones produced by the body at different times of the day. These hormone patterns are 67closely related to sleep and circadian rhythms. Additionally, sleep significantly contributes to learning and the formation of long-term memories. Lacking sufficient high-quality sleep can lead to difficulties in concentration and clear thinking at work/school.
How does lack of sleep affect our cognitive performance?
Poor sleep, characterized by short or fragmented sleep, can negatively impact the brain and cognition. It can lead to overworked neurons and reduced performance in various thinking tasks. Short-term effects can be temporary, while chronic sleep problems can negatively impact daily tasks. Over time, poor sleep may increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
Among the most significant impacts of poor sleep are : excessive sleepiness, poor attention span, reduced adaptability, reduced emotional capacity, impaired judgment. On a long-term cognitive impacts of poor sleep are Alzheimer’s disease and Impaired Memory (Both NREM and REM sleep are crucial for memory consolidation. NREM sleep is linked to declarative memory, such as basic facts, while REM sleep enhances procedural memory, like remembering sequences of steps. Poor sleep disrupts this process, impairing memory consolidation and increasing the risk of forming false memories in sleep-deprived individuals.)
Creativity can be hindered by sleeping problems as they affect cognition. Good sleep strengthens the ability to connect loosely associated ideas, which is essential for creativity. NREM sleep allows for restructuring and reorganizing information in the brain. REM sleep facilitates the emergence of new ideas and links between thoughts, enabling insight and creative problem-solving. Additionally, limited or restless sleep can indirectly affect cognition, worsening symptoms of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression and increasing the risk of physical health issues such as infections and headaches.
What are the sleep stages and what is their role?
When we sleep, we go through two phases of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. Each cycle lasts about 80 to 100 minutes, and typically, we experience four to six cycles per night. It's common to wake up briefly between these cycles. Sleep studies utilize sensors to monitor eye movements and brain activity, which help in categorizing different sleep phases and stages.
Non-REM sleep includes three stages, which are identified based on brain activity measurements obtained during sleep studies.
Stage 1: This stage serves as the transition between wakefulness and sleep.
Stage 2: When you reach stage 2, you are officially asleep.
Stage 3: Also known as deep sleep or slow-wave sleep, characterized by a specific brain activity pattern. This stage is more prevalent in the early part of the night.
During REM sleep, your eyes move rapidly, and your brain remains active. The brain activity during REM sleep is comparable to waking hours, and this is when most dreaming occurs. Normally, your muscles become relaxed to prevent you from physically acting out your dreams. REM sleep becomes more pronounced later in the night, but interestingly, colder temperatures reduce the amount of REM sleep since the body has difficulties regulating its temperature during this phase.
How many hours should we sleep?
It is recommended for newborns younger than 1 year to sleep between 12 and 16 hours per day.
For children between 1 and 2 years old it is recommended 11 to 14 hours of sleep.
Children 3 to 5 years old should sleep 10 to 13 hours per day.
Children 6 to 12 years should sleep 9 to 12 hours per day.
Teens 13 to 18 years old should sleep 8 to 10 hours per day.
Adults from 18 years old should sleep between 7 and 9 hours per day.
How can we assure that we get enough sleep?
Well, there is not a magic recipe that is going to , but there are a few steps that you can follow in order to maximize your chances of getting enough sleep :
establishing a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day
creating a relaxing bedtime routine such as taking a warm bath, reading a book, or practicing relaxation techniques
making your sleep environment conducive to rest by keeping the room cool, dark, and quiet
limiting exposure to screens and electronic devices before bed, as the blue light emitted can disrupt your body's natural sleep-wake cycle
avoiding caffeine, nicotine, and large meals close to bedtime, as these can interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night
In conclusion, sleepiness can damage your judgment, work performance, mood, and safety. It is very important for us to make sure that we reduce at a bare minimum poor sleep, characterized by short or fragmented sleep, which can lead to brain and body malfunction, overworked neurons, and reduced cognitive performance. Short-term effects can be temporary, while chronic sleep problems can negatively impact daily tasks. Over time, poor sleep may increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Both the brain and body experience distinct changes during sleep cycles.
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