Why do we sleep?

There goes an Irish proverb, “"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book."

In a world that never sleeps, where the hustle and bustle are badges of honor, the essential act of sleeping can sometimes be undervalued. But, why do we sleep? This question has puzzled scientists and philosophers for centuries, yet the answer lies within each sleeping person, revealing that sleep is your superpower.

If you like, you can try out this Yog Nidra to completely relax your body and mind, reduce stress and perform better.

What are the 5 stages of sleep?

Every night, as we drift off with the intention of a relaxing sleep, we embark on a journey through five stages of sleep cycle, each critical for our well-being:

• Stage 1 (N1): The gateway to sleep, a light, transitional phase where you can be easily woken up by sound or movement, the brain waves slow down and the body begins to relax. It lasts for about 1-7 minutes.
• Stage 2 (N2): A period of light sleep before we enter deeper sleep, where our heart rate slows and body temperature drops. We spend around 45% of the night in this non-REM sleep zone.
• Stage 3 & 4 (N3): The deep, restorative sleep stages which makes up to 25% of sleep. It's during these stages that the body repairs muscles and tissues, stimulates growth and development, and boosts immune function.
• REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Stage: The dream stage of sleep, where the brain is almost as active as when awake, playing a key role in processing emotions, memories, and stress. REM sleep makes up about 25% of sleep and becomes longer throughout the night.

Understanding these stages highlights the importance of a relaxing sleep environment to cycle through them effectively, ensuring physical and mental rejuvenation.

Also read: Meditation vs sleep: Can meditation replace sleep in 2024?

The superpower of sleep

Sleep is not just a period of rest but a critical function for our health and daily performance. Good sleep boosts our cognitive functions, emotional resilience, physical health, and much more. In essence, sleep is your superpower; it's the secret ingredient to a healthier, happier life.

Why do we sleep?

You might have observed a lot of people asking, “How did you sleep?” That’s because it’s much beyond the refreshing feeling it provides and encompasses a range of functions vital for our survival and well-being:

Memory consolidation

Sleep plays a crucial role in consolidating memories, transforming them from short-term to long-term storage. This process enhances learning and helps you retain information over time, helping us recall information, memories and experiences at the right time.

Cognitive function and brain health

Adequate sleep is essential for cognitive processes such as problem-solving, decision-making, and creativity. It also helps clear beta-amyloid, a brain toxin associated with Alzheimer’s disease, safeguarding cognitive function as you age.

Emotional and mental resilience

Sleep is vital for emotional regulation and mental health. It helps modulate your reactions to stress and reduces the risk of mood disorders like depression and anxiety, helping you be emotionally stable and balanced in times of challenges or stress.

Physical repair and regeneration

During sleep, the sleeping person’s body undergoes repair and regeneration of tissues, muscles, and cells. This process is crucial for physical health and recovery from injury, allowing your body to heal and rejuvenate for optimal performance.

Also read: Tired, still can't sleep? Here's what you need to do

Immune system strengthening

Sleep supports the immune system by enhancing the body's ability to fend off infections and illnesses. Adequate sleep can also improve vaccine efficacy, helping the body build a stronger defense against diseases.

Metabolism and weight control

Sleep affects the hormones that regulate appetite, hunger, and metabolism. Proper sleep helps maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of obesity and related diseases by avoiding stress eating and keeping hunger cues in check.

Also read: Is it bad to eat dinner before bed?

Heart health

Sleep contributes to cardiovascular health by regulating blood pressure and reducing inflammation, thereby lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. It allows your cardiovascular system to function smoothly.

Hormonal balance

Sleep impacts the balance of hormones that control growth, stress, reproduction, and energy metabolism, ensuring the body's systems function harmoniously, promoting overall health and well being through growth, repair and regeneration.

Also read: Sleep Inertia: 10 Ways to Tackle Grogginess in the Morning

Physical performance

For athletes and physically active individuals, sleep enhances performance, stamina, and recovery. It improves speed, accuracy, and reaction times, which enables them to push through their limits and achieve peak performance.

Growth and development

Sleep is especially important for children and adolescents, promoting growth and development through the release of growth hormone. It plays a pivotal role in brain maturation and physical growth, laying the foundation of a healthy living.

What happens if we don't sleep?

Sleep is often seen as a passive state, a time to simply rest. But neglecting a relaxing sleep schedule can have serious consequences on our health and quality of life. Here's why sleep is a nightly superpower:

• Sharp mind: Without enough sleep, cognitive abilities decline. This can lead to difficulty concentrating, remembering things, and making decisions.
• Emotional stability: Sleep deprivation can make you more irritable, moody, and prone to anxiety.
• Stronger body: Sleep strengthens the immune system, making you less susceptible to illness.
• Long-term health: Chronic sleep problems are linked to an increased risk of serious health conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
• Weakened judgement: Sleep deprivation impairs your ability to make sound decisions. This can lead to poor choices in everything from personal relationships to finances.
• Reduced inhibition: Lack of sleep can lower your inhibitions, making you more likely to act impulsively or say things you regret later.
• Impaired motor skills: Sleep deprivation can affect your reaction time, coordination, and balance. This increases your risk of accidents and injuries.

Also read: Sleep Debt: Meaning and Step-by-Step Guide to Overcome It

Fall asleep faster with Level SuperMind

A lot of times it may happen that no matter how hard you try, you end up tossing and turning throughout the night. That may be either due to work stress or personal reasons. To ease the transition to sleep, your body and mind need to be completely relaxed. Here’s what you can try from Level SuperMind app to sleep fast, better and wake up feeling refreshed:

Sleep meditation: Meditations with body scans or progressive muscle relaxation techniques help release tension and prepare the body for sleep by promoting physical relaxation.

Sleep stories: With a bundle of historical and mythology based stories along with the ones on travel, you can enter a state of relaxation with reduced cognitive activity, peace and security, available in Hindi, English and Marathi.

Shiva Yog Nidra- Try this meditation in the voice of Ranveer Allahbadia, which combines Yog nidra with Lord Shiva's spiritual essence. With this, you can relax your mind and body and get better sleep.

Sleep music: Calming melodies, harmonies and ragas that can gently nudge brainwaves towards slower frequencies associated with sleep stages. It releases dopamine and serotonin which prepares the body for sleep.

Final thoughts

So, why do we sleep? Because it's our body's way of ensuring we operate at our best, day in and day out. It's a time when our bodies and minds undergo repair, consolidation, and strengthening. By embracing relaxing sleep practices and recognizing the signs of sleep deprivation, we can harness this superpower to its full potential, improving every aspect of our lives.

Remember, each time we ask someone, "How did you sleep?" we're acknowledging the profound impact of this natural, rejuvenating process. Let's not underestimate the power of a good night's sleep, for in it lies the key to our health, happiness, and ultimately, our survival.

Read next: Sound Meditation: Your Relaxing Playlist for Stress Relief