Reasons Why People Need Sleep

Many people do not realize the importance of sleep so that sleep time provided only modest. Actually there are important reasons why people need sleep.

Professor Chris Idzikowski as director of the Sleep Assessment And Advisory Service says there are two theories that explain why people need sleep, as quoted from Dailymail, Monday (04/11/2011), namely:

Humans need sleep to save energy, although it remains high brain activity during sleep but at least physical activity so they can save energy in the body. In addition, lowered body temperature during sleep as much as 1-2 degrees Celsius so that it can increase metabolism.
Sleep is an activity that could provide an opportunity for the brain to reorganize the memory, while for the body to allow time to repair itself.

If a person experiencing sleep deprivation, then the impact will obviously relate to the functions of the cerebral cortex of the brain, ie brain regions involved in the process of concentration, speech, memory and flexible ways of thinking and inventive.

"Concentration and memory is the first function that suffers when we lack sleep, such as irritability, can not focus, sometimes arise hallucinations and will be a big danger," said Prof. Idzikowski.

At bedtime, a person will pass through several stages starting from non-REM (rapid eye movement) until finally reaching the stage of REM sleep. In non-REM stages decreased heart rate, breathing slows, muscles relax, blood to flow more easily through the body, sleep hormone (melatonin) is stimulated and thyroid hormone is also released.

Meanwhile, during the REM stage there is increased brain activity and temperature, rapid eye movement, muscle twitching and blood pressure, heart and respiration started to show a more rapid variation.

For that person should not underestimate the time sleeping, because getting enough sleep can provide many benefits for the body and reduce the risk of some diseases.