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Your body and brain take about 15 minutes to wind down. Sleep Cycles and Sleep StagesĪ sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes. It should also be said that sleep deprivation has a history as a method of torture. Additionally, poor sleep can lead to anxiety and depression. Those who struggle with a constant state of poor sleep may struggle with high levels of cortisol, which can cause weight gain and contribute to diabetes. As your body takes strength from the foods that you eat (or has to find a way to function on unhealthy foods) your tissues, from your brain to your toes, need the refreshing and cleansing that happens during sleep. Over time, a state of constant sleep deprivation can damage every cell in your body. Sleep Deprivationįor a day or two, sleep deprivation may just make you cranky and give you the munchies. Getting enough sleep is critical to brain health.
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If you don’t give your brain enough time to cleanse away the toxins that build up in these tissues, you can face neurocognitive decline over time. Our glymphatic system is actually busy cleansing the neuron pathways in the brain. As adults, any cell damage is done during the day, such as during a hard workout, is repaired overnight.Īs we age, getting enough quality sleep is also critical for brain health. Hormones are released in sleep that help us to grow taller and to develop sexually. Why is Sleep Important? What Happens During Sleep? Because the sleep cycle is about 90 minutes, the question of what time should I wake up may need calculating for best results.
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Using a sleep cycle calculator can be extremely effective. Another consideration is whether or not your wake-up time is disrupting a sleep cycle. Conditions such as sleep apnea can cause long-term damage to your body and brain if not addressed quickly. Signing up for a sleep study may be necessary. As your children get older, they may need less sleep through adolescents, though 9 hours a day is a health target for teens. If you are concerned that a child is sleeping too much, discuss your worries with your pediatrician. Younger children can require up to 17 hours a day within the first three months of their life. If you need to get your child up and moving at 7 a.m., a 7 p.m. Until a child is age 6 and above, at least 12 hours of sleep a day is a good idea. For growing children, the body is putting nutrients ingested to work building bones, connective tissues, and muscles. Your body and brain are actually quite busy while you sleep. The main step in finding out if you’re getting enough sleep is to ask yourself if you’re tired. Older adults may spend as much time in bed as they once did but their quality of sleep is often less effective, so a nap for a retired person may be a necessity. Infants need more sleep than anyone, and growing children require quite a lot of sleep as well.Īdolescents need more than the average of 8 hours. Putting a sleep calculator to work also means studying just how active you are and whether or not you’re pregnant. Figuring out how much sleep you need actually takes a lot of consideration.
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