While you are sleeping at night, your body is hard at work. It may seem like sleep is a time of inaction, but it is actually a time of complex growth and restoration. The natural sleep cycle provides the time your body needs to refresh itself, down to the cellular level, to optimize health and function for the next day.
Learn about what happens while you sleep and why quality sleep makes a difference in your overall health and well-being.
Why Do We Need Sleep?
During sleep, you relax, which gives your body the opportunity to repair and regenerate. If you do not get enough good quality sleep, your body is less able to perform important functions that are essential for your overall health and well-being.
Brain function also relies on the “right type” of sleep. Not all sleep is the same. The brain needs “deep” sleep to form memories and preserve cognitive abilities like judgment and decision-making.
Sleep also preserves our natural immunity and the ability to fight disease. Without sufficient sleep, the body is more susceptible to illness and the risk of developing a range of chronic conditions increases.
Your Body Works During Sleep
Systems within the body use sleep as “down time” to repair damage and improve function. While you are awake, your body works to meet the demands of your physical and mental activities from day-to-day.
Neurological Health
The brain uses sleep to consolidate memories, clear waste, and learn new information so you can function effectively during the day. Sleep deprivation can disrupt neurotransmitter and stress hormone levels, making it harder to think and regulate emotions.
Cardiovascular Health
During sleep, your heart rate and blood pressure is lower because the cardiovascular system does not need to work as hard to circulate blood as it does when you are awake. The heart and blood vessels use sleep time to stabilize and repair from the previous day’s activity.
Metabolic Health
The circadian rhythm is like an internal clock for your body. In addition to telling your body when you need to sleep and when you need to wake up, this important sleep-wake rhythm also affects the functioning of multiple body systems. Consistent, quality sleep is essential for these processes to work effectively and may help protect you against developing some metabolic conditions like diabetes and obesity.
Disease Prevention
Cells that are dedicated to strengthening natural immunity work better while you are asleep. Levels of protective antibodies and cells that fight infections are lowered during times when you don't get enough sleep. Optimal sleep, therefore, plays a crucial role in supporting the immune system so that you are better protected from catching colds and other infections.
The Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Not getting enough sleep has a cumulative effect. Each night that you add to or do not pay back lost sleep, your “sleep debt” increases and can result in significant negative effects on physical and mental health. Sleep debt refers to the cumulative amount of sleep lost over time when a person does not get enough sleep.
Not getting enough sleep has both short-term and long-term consequences.
Short-term Effects
- Slower reaction times
- Difficulty concentrating, focusing, and recalling information
- Irritability, anxiety and stress
- Increased risk of poor judgment and decision-making
- Reduced productivity and job performance
Long-term Effects
- Higher risk of impulsive and reckless behavior
- Increases the risk of depression and other mood disorders.
- Increased the risk of obesity
- Increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes or dementia
- Sleep deprivation can increase the risk of developing cancers
Get the Sleep You Need
Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or getting enough sleep at night can lead to significant problems during the day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three adults (about 84 million people) do not regularly get the recommended amount of uninterrupted sleep they need to protect their health. If you struggle to get good quality sleep, it’s time to speak with your health care provider.
Our Sleep Centers
With locations throughout the Greater Houston area, Memorial Hermann Sleep Centers offers adults and children convenient access to sleep studies. If you have a physician’s referral, please contact one of our Sleep Centers to schedule a sleep study.
