Sleep is tremendously important. About one third of a person’s life is spent in sleep. Probably, it is needed since we are in need of oxygen. N o one should deprive themselves of sleep. Each individual needs a certain amount of hours to completely rehabilitate their powers. An adult requires 8-9 hours of sleep but mostly they get 7 hours or less sleep which will negatively affect a person’s health. Medical research has proven that those who slept for six hours were later diagnosed with an increase of certain chemicals in the blood associated with heart diseases and diabetes.

Many people do not think of sleep deprivation as serious. Sleep deprivation causes some emotional disturbances in people. Sometimes it may lead to aggressiveness, apathy or result in fluctuations between euphoria and depression. Improper sleep can make a person experience pain in their joints, hallucinations and visions. There may also be a failure in short term memory loss. Therefore, one should never economize additional time for sleep.

Sleep, plays an important part in growth. 80% of the growth hormone is being produced during the first phase of sleep. The metabolic activity of the brain decreases significantly after 24 hours of sustained wakefulness. Sleep is needed for our nervous systems to work properly. Sleep deprivation makes a person drowsy and unable to concentrate the next day. This will also result in a decrease in the body temperature, decrease immune system function and reduce the hormone growth. Sleep deprivation can also cause increased heart rate variability.

For children and young adults, the release of growth hormone takes place only during deep sleep. Sleep helps a person maintain optimal emotional and social functioning while we are awake by giving rest during sleep to the parts of the brain that control emotions and social interactions.

Compared to any other age group, infants have an overall greater total sleep time. Their sleep time can be divided into multiple periods. Over the first several months of life, sleep time decreases; by age 5-6 months sleep consolidates into an overnight period with at least 1 nap during the day.

8-9 hours of sleep is considered fully restorative for adults. They have 6-7 hours of overnight sleep and a nap of 1-2 hours. People tend to sleep more lightly and for shorter periods as they get older. People who sleep less have an impairment of judgment and reaction time. Your day to day activities itself shows you the need for a sleep. If you have any trouble in keeping your eyes focused on something, if you have continuous yawning, or if you are unable to remember what had happened for the last few minutes, you are probably too drowsy and you need an immediate rest for your body as well as for your mind. So, just reserve your time for sleep.