Wazzup Pilipinas!
For the longest time, humans just assumed nothing of importance happened to us while we slept. Strange images and the occasional nightmare, but that’s all. And we recently learned that this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth! Quite a lot happens to you while you’re asleep, a series of nightly steps on which your body relies on for good health.
It turns out that when you don’t get enough sleep, quite a lot can happen as well -- and it’s not very good.
Here are a few things you should know about what happens when you sleep, as well as what can go wrong when you don’t get enough rest each night!
What Happens To Your Body When You Sleep
Each night when you sleep, your body goes through a series of cycles that fall into one of two categories: non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and REM sleep. The first four stages of sleep are non-REM sleep.
During the first stage, you move back and forward between being awake and unconscious. It’s in the second stage that you become more disengaged from your surroundings. Your body temperature also drops a little.
It’s in the third and fourth stages that you enter the most restorative aspect of sleep. At this point your blood pressure drops, muscles relax, and your breathing slows. It’s also at this point that your body increases the blood supply to your muscles and performs actions like muscle repair. Once you reach these stages of sleep, the body begins to energize itself and release vital hormones.
The final stage, REM sleep, typically occurs about 90 minutes after you fall asleep. In a typical night, you enter REM sleep every 90 to 110 minutes. Although we associate REM sleep with dreaming, it’s also a very crucial and healing state of rest. Studies show that REM sleep is vital for energizing the mind and body, fueling you to get through the next day.
It’s important to note that you don’t experience each stage evenly or predictably. When you first go to sleep, you’ll be more likely to experience deeper sleep (third and fourth stage). However, right before you wake up, you’ll likely move between the first two stages and REM sleep.
When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep
Now that you understand how crucial it is to curl up under your blankets at a decent hour, it’s just as important to know the consequences. What happens to the average person when they’re sleep deprived? Scientists have studied the topic for decades and found that poor sleep patterns can have some devastating consequences.
A lack of sleep often contributes to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. You might suffer physical consequences as well, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart problems. If you’re hoping to get in shape, not getting enough sleep can even affect muscle growth!
If you want a mind and body that works its best, you need to make sure you’re getting into bed at a sensible hour and getting at least seven hours of sleep each night.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
