The Value of Proper Sleep

One of the by-products of living in a quick-paced, always-connected world is that many of us feel the need to go faster. Leading an efficient life so we can get more stuff done has become a subconscious mantra that pushes people to do more and appreciate less. Ironically, we waste so much time staying connected to people we barely know that we constantly feel short on time. To get our time back, many of us sacrifice sleep and rest. Some people even view the need for sleep as a sign of weakness. So what’s the deal with sleep and rest? How much do we really need, and why do some people need less? There is a lot we still don’t understand about the human brain, and so naturally there are still questions about the purpose of sleep. Science has come to accept that sleep serves multiple purposes and is biologically important to our overall health and well-being. Here’s some concrete science to add context: Repair: Let’s start with the cool one. During sleep, your body undergoes cellular repair and detoxification. Sleep supports muscle repair, protein synthesis, tissue growth, and hormonal release. Not getting enough sleep could therefore lead to cellular damage and disease vulnerability. Cognitive: Sleep is essential for keeping your brain healthy. Sleep may literally help you clear your mind. A study by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke found that during sleep we go through a process by which we flush toxins that build up during waking hours and increase the space between brain cells. Research also suggests that good sleep supports help us consolidate and process information gathered throughout the day whic strengthens memory, learning, and problem-solving abilities. Energy: While asleep our caloric needs are reduced and we function at a lower metabolism. This allows us to conserve and replenish energy. As a result, sleep restores our energy so we can be revitalized and tackle the new day. Emotional: Sleep is critical to emotional well-being. Proper sleep stabilizes mood and emotional responses by balancing neurotransmitters and reducing stress. Not surprisingly, lack of sleep has the inverse effect; irritability, mood swings, heightened sensitivity, and increased susceptibility to stress. Hormonal: Proper sleep supports the healthy regulation of hormones which support appetite regulation, metabolism, and stress response. In assisting hormonal balance, quality sleep supports weight maintenance and decreases the risk of overeating and weight gain. Psychological: Quality sleep improves mood, reduces anxiety, and promotes overall positive mental health. Unfortunately, poor sleep can not only contribute to the onset of mental health issues, but those mental health issues can negatively impact the quality of your sleep. For example, worrying leads to poor sleep, and poor sleep leads to worrying. It’s like your mind is having a tug-of-war with itself. Now that we have an understanding of why a good night’s sleep is so important, why do so many smart people insist they only need 4-5 hours of sleep to function at peak levels? Do over-achievers really need less sleep than the rest of us? Are they just showing off? What’s going on here? Let’s talk about short-sleepers You may have heard of Short sleeper syndrome (SSS). Sometimes referred to as a sleep “condition”, it is characterized by the need to only sleep 4-5 hours per night. Natural short-sleepers can function normally throughout the day despite less sleep. They do not experience any adverse effects on their health or daytime functioning due to their sleep habits. Research suggests that less than 1% of the population may be affected by this genetic trait. Because requiring less sleep is in their DNA, natural short-sleepers have a consistent and healthy pattern of requiring less sleep. Behavioural neuroscientist Andrew Coogan says a good rule of thumb to test if you are a natural short-sleeper is to measure sleep on the weekend when you may have extra time to sleep. If your sleep doesn’t get longer, despite the opportunity to do so, you could be a natural short-sleeper. Due to the rarity of this genetic trait, most people who claim to only require 4-5 hours of sleep per night are most likely attempting to develop a tolerance for reduced sleep. Although developing a tolerance for sleep deprivation is possible, these individuals may not be aware of their own deficiencies because less sleep feels normal to them. In the long run, intentionally sleeping less to get more done will lead to more mistakes, emotional instability, mood swings, and possibly more serious health issues such as obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Although researchers may not be able to give us a definitive textbook on all the exact purposes of sleep, we now know enough to understand that sleep is a critical factor in our overall health and well-being.