Posted by (I was requested by our church to do short health presentations for the local community. Here’s the 4th lecture.)
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What is the common thread among these well-known accidents: the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, the Exxon-Valdez oil spill, and the American Airline Flight 1420 crash? They were all related to an error made by sleep-deprived humans.
One major cause of driving accidents is lack of sleep. Drivers who have less than 6 hours of sleep are 33% more likely to have an accident on the road. Being awake for 18 hours straight makes you drive like you have a blood alcohol level of .05.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 3 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.
Sleep deficiency occurs if you have one or more of the following:
-You don’t get enough sleep.
-You sleep at the wrong time of day.
-You don’t sleep well or get all the different types of sleep your body needs.
-You have a sleep disorder that prevents you from getting enough sleep or causes poor-quality sleep.
Why do we sleep less and less?
A century ago, our ancestors were sleeping an average of an hour more than we do today. With the invention of electricity and light bulb, and with the industrialization, we have made the night the new frontier. We work instead of sleep during the night.
Another factor is we are very wired. What I mean by this is we watch television in our bedroom, we surf the internet while we’re in bed, we play computer games even in the wee hours of the night, and we are on our cell phones almost 24 hours a day.
We are trying to be giraffes. Do you know that giraffes sleep only 2-4 hours a day? Or worse, we’re trying to be like dolphins. When dolphins sleep, only half of their brain sleeps, while the other half stay awake. But we are humans, and not those animals.
Here’s how much sleep we need: (see table below)
Why do we need to sleep?
Sleeping is a basic human need, like eating, drinking, and breathing. Like these other needs, sleeping is vital for good health and well-being throughout our lifetime.
Many biological processes happen during sleep:
-The brain stores new information and gets rid of toxic waste.
-Nerve cells communicate and reorganize, which supports healthy brain function.
-The body repairs cells, restores energy, and releases molecules like hormones and proteins.
Sleep affects many aspects of brain function, including learning, memory, problem-solving skills, creativity, decision making, focus, and concentration.
Sleep deficiency can lead to physical and mental health problems, and even a greater likelihood of death. It is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression.
Sleep deficiency can interfere with work, school, driving, and social functioning. You might have trouble learning, focusing, and reacting. Also linked to higher chance of injury. It also can make you feel frustrated, cranky, or worried in social situations.
The symptoms of sleep deficiency may differ between children and adults. Children who are sleep deficient might be overly active and have problems paying attention. They also might misbehave, and their school performance can suffer.
Some habits that can improve your sleep health:
- Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends.
- Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature.
- Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom.
- Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime.
- Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.
There’s one more thing to get better rest. Here it is:
(*Photos from the web)
Amen to all this. 🙂