Physiology of Sleep & Wakefulness

Sleep is an important part of your overall health and quality of life. Sleep affects how well you feel when you are awake. Both the time and quality of your sleep are important. Most people spend only a third of their lives sleeping, which is necessary for the good productivity and health. Too little or too much sleep can cause health problems and lower your quality of life. Furthermore, some chronic diseases that cause the sleep patterns may get worse from lack of sleep and result in a shor tened life. Sleep is important. When you are asleep, your body replenishes and repairs itself. It needs this time to repair muscles, consolidate memories, and release hormones that maintain growth and digestion. Good quality of sleep helps control your app etite, support your immune system, and promote good overall health. Many adults are chronically sleep deprived from going to bed too late or waking up too early. Getting little high quality sleep can leave you feeling fatigued, unable to concentrate, and m entally foggy. It can raise your risk of accidental injury and certain health conditions. The time of sleep you need depends on your age. Children and teens mainly need more sleep than adults. For most adults recommends getting seven to eight hours of slee p per night. Getting too little or too more like more than 10 hours per night on most nights can be problematic.