We all need to sleep. All animals have to sleep. Even the ever moving dolphin is not an exception. Normally, human beings need to sleep around six to eight hours. The amount of sleep needed varies from one individual to another. All of us sleep at night. That is the way we are programmed. It is at night that the secretion of the sleep inducing hormone melatonin reaches a peak. In addition, we also feel drowsy in the afternoon. It is also part of the circadian rhythm. However, many individuals successfully avoid sleeping in the afternoon. In fact, afternoon napping cuts into night sleep.
Sleep for children
Children need to sleep more hours. In fact, it is healthy if a young child (preschooler) achieves at least thirteen hours of sleep. It is while sleeping that more of the growth hormone is secreted. Thus, optimal sleep time for children provides optimal growth.
Ageing and sleep
There is a widespread feeling that people require reduced amount of sleep as they age. This is not strictly true. Reduction in sleep time is not part of the ageing process. Part of the reduction in sleep in old age is due to decreased physical activity. A tired body produces better sleep. It is also likely that ageing produces certain medical conditions which are capable of interfering with normal sleep.
Dreams are natural
Dreaming is part of normal sleep. Nobody knows why we dream. Some of us are able to remember about the dreams we had, but many people are not able to recollect about their dreams. Generally, people dream for about two hours which means that one fourth of the sleep time is occupied by dreams.
Keep stress out
Stress and the accompanying depression are major contributors to sleep loss. Many of us are affected by disturbed by sleep. This is partly due to the occurrence of nightmares. Nightmares are common if an individual is under stress.
Drowsiness and drunkenness are chums
Sleep loss produces drowsiness which is difficult to overcome. Driving while drowsy can be extremely dangerous. It can lead to accidents which may turn out to be fatal. Driving while under the influence of alcohol can also be dangerous. Drowsiness and alcohol intoxication produce nearly the same effects.
Clear the sleep debt
When we lose sleep, we go into a state of sleep debt. It is not easy to clear the sleep debt immediately. However, it can be achieved over a period of several days. If the sleep debt is not cleared, it can lead to health problems. Sleep loss can lead to heart disease, diabetes, dementia, obesity and some forms of cancer. These problems are likely to occur if an individual is suffering from chronic insomnia. Insomnia is a term used to denote sleep disturbances. An individual is said to suffer from chronic insomnia if he loses sleep three times a week for a month or, longer.