People like us all need to rest every now and then. We need sleep because it energises us, helps us grow, and gives us a better immune system.
What is sleep and how does it work?
Sleep is a slow process of when our bodies relax and it lasts quite long. It uses the four main stages of sleep: starting to fall asleep, non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, then deep sleep, and finally REM sleep. This process also includes your whole body except some parts of the brain to turn off to make you fully rested. Sleep is a natural process that every person has done many times. We sleep when we are tired, sick, or just because we want to.
How does sleep energise us?
Sleep energises us during deep sleep (also called slow-wave sleep) when our body mends and restores itself. Deep sleep is the main stage for energy, and it boosts your ability to create ATP (the energy molecule for the body). The longer the deep sleep lasts (slow-wave sleep), the more energy you get.
How does sleep help us grow?
Deep sleep doesn’t only help energise us but it can also help us grow taller. Deep sleep also creates hormones that extend our bodies, mostly for kids and teens. Different-aged people have different hours for sleep; babies (4 to 6 months) have to sleep 12 to 16 hours but elementary school kids need to sleep 9 to 11 hours a day and they both include naps. Babies are very far from their final development, as they might not have grown all their body parts yet, which makes them need sleep the most.
How does sleep give us a stronger immune system?
When you sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines. When you sleep, you don’t just get stronger on the outside but also on the inside. Some cytokines tend to trigger sleep so you can recover more from sickness when you sleep longer. When you don’t sleep much or don’t sleep at all, you can get sick easily and you will have to sleep more to recover and repair your sleepless nights.
Did you know sleep can improve your memory and a lack of sleep can make you hungry?
Tip: To sleep better, you can drink something warm like tea to relax better and reduce stress before you sleep.
Conclusion
Therefore, we need to sleep because sleep energises us, helps us grow, and gives us a better immune system.
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