Why You Need a Good Night’s Sleep
We have so many demands on our time—jobs, family, errands—
not to mention finding some time to relax. To fit everything in,
we often sacrifice sleep. But sleep affects both mental and
physical health. It’s vital to your well-being.
Of course, sleep helps you feel rested each day. But while you’re
sleeping, your brain and body don’t just shut down. Internal
organs and processes are hard at work throughout the night.
“Sleep services all aspects of our body in one way or another:
molecular, energy balance, as well as intellectual function,
alertness and mood,” says Dr. Merrill Mitler, a sleep expert and
neuroscientist at NIH.
When you’re tired, you can’t function at your best. Sleep helps you think more
clearly, have quicker reflexes and focus better. “The fact is, when we look at
well-rested people, they’re operating at a different level than people trying to
get by on 1 or 2 hours less nightly sleep,” says Mitler.
“Loss of sleep impairs your higher levels of reasoning, problem-solving and
attention to detail,” Mitler explains. Tired people tend to be less productive at
work. They’re at a much higher risk for traffic accidents. Lack of sleep also
influences your mood, which can affect how you interact with others. A sleep
deficit over time can even put you at greater risk for developing depression.
But sleep isn’t just essential for the brain. “Sleep affects almost every tissue in
our bodies,” says Dr. Michael Twery, a sleep expert at NIH. “It affects growth
and stress hormones, our immune system, appetite, breathing, blood pressure
and cardiovascular health.”
Research shows that lack of sleep increases the risk for obesity, heart disease
and infections. Throughout the night, your heart rate, breathing rate and blood
pressure rise and fall, a process that may be important for cardiovascular
health. Your body releases hormones during sleep that help repair cells and
control the body’s use of energy. These hormone changes can affect your body
weight.
“Ongoing research shows a lack of sleep can produce diabetic-like conditions in
otherwise healthy people,” says Mitler.
Recent studies also reveal that sleep can affect the efficiency of vaccinations.
Twery described research showing that well-rested people who received the flu
vaccine developed stronger protection against the illness.
A good night’s sleep consists of 4 to 5 sleep cycles. Each cycle includes periods
of deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, when we dream. “As the
night goes on, the portion of that cycle that is in REM sleep increases. It turns
out that this pattern of cycling and progression is critical to the biology of
sleep,” Twery says.
Although personal needs vary, on average, adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep per
night. Babies typically sleep about 16 hours a day. Young children need at least
10 hours of sleep, while teenagers need at least 9 hours. To attain the
maximum restorative benefits of sleep, getting a full night of quality sleep is
important, says Twery.
Sleep can be disrupted by many things. Stimulants such as caffeine or certain
medications can keep you up. Distractions such as electronics—especially the
light from TVs, cell phones, tablets and e-readers—can prevent you from falling
asleep.
As people get older, they may not get enough sleep because of illness,
medications or sleep disorders. By some estimates, about 70 million Americans
of all ages suffer from chronic sleep problems. The 2 most common sleep
disorders are insomnia and sleep apnea.
People with insomnia have trouble falling or staying asleep. Anxiety about falling
asleep often makes the condition worse. Most of us have occasional insomnia.
But chronic insomnia—lasting at least 3 nights per week for more than a month
—can trigger serious daytime problems such as exhaustion, irritability and
difficulty concentrating.
Common therapies include relaxation and deep-breathing techniques.
Sometimes medicine is prescribed. But consult a doctor before trying even over-
the-counter sleep pills, as they may leave you feeling unrefreshed in the
morning.
People with sleep apnea have a loud, uneven snore (although not everyone who
snores has apnea). Breathing repeatedly stops or becomes shallow. If you have
apnea, you’re not getting enough oxygen, and your brain disturbs your sleep to
open your windpipe.
Apnea is dangerous. “There’s little air exchange for 10 seconds or more at a
time,” explains Dr. Phyllis Zee, a sleep apnea expert at Northwestern University.
“The oxygen goes down and the body’s fight or flight response is activated.
Blood pressure spikes, your heart rate fluctuates and the brain wakes you up
partially to start your breathing again. This creates stress.”
Apnea can leave you feeling tired and moody. You may have trouble thinking
clearly. “Also, apnea affects the vessels that lead to the brain so there is a
higher risk of stroke associated with it,” Zee adds.
If you have mild sleep apnea, you might try sleeping on your side, exercising or
losing weight to reduce symptoms. A CPAP machine, which pumps air into your
throat to keep your airway open, can also help. Another treatment is a bite
plate that moves the lower jaw forward. In some cases, however, people with
sleep apnea need surgery.
“If you snore chronically and wake up choking or gasping for air, and feel that
you’re sleepy during the day, tell your doctor and get evaluated,” Zee advises.
NIH is currently funding several studies to gain deeper insights into sleep apnea
and other aspects of sleep. One 5-year study of 10,000 pregnant women is
designed to gauge the effects of apnea on the mother’s and baby’s health. Zee
says this study will shed more light on apnea and the importance of treatment.
Good sleep is critical to your health. To make each day a safe, productive one,
take steps to make sure you regularly get a good night’s sleep.
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