Cognitive Function

During sleep , your brain clears away waste products , balances neurotransmitters , and goes through a process called “ consolidation ,” in which it stores and processes events from your day . This process helps you strengthen memories and “ practice ” skills learned while awake . Getting a good night ’ s sleep helps you think quicker , better , and gives you quicker reflexes . It has been shown to increase problem-solving skills and enhance memory in both children and adults .

Some studies have found that getting an inadequate amount of sleep negatively impacts brain function to the same degree as alcohol intoxication . Poor sleep impairs higher levels of reasoning , problem solving , and attention , and sleep-deprived people were shown to be less productive at work and more prone to traffic accidents . Not only that , but sleep impacts our moods . Sleep-deprived people tend to have a harder time regulating their emotions , and are often more irritable and prone to depression . One study found that people with poor sleep displayed a reduced ability to recognize important social cues in others , such as anger or happiness .

Weight and Heart Health

When you sleep , your heart rate , breathing rate , and blood pressure all rise and fall throughout the night . It is thought that this process may contribute to better cardiovascular health . The body also releases hormones during sleep that help repair cells and control the body ’ s use of energy . Sleep deprivation disrupts these hormone fluctuations and causes your body to produce higher levels of ghrelin , the hormone that stimulates appetite , and reduces levels of the appetite suppressant leptin . As a result , sleep-deprived people are hungrier throughout the day and are prone to consuming more calories than those who received sufficient sleep . Research shows that lack of sleep can even produce diabetic-like conditions in otherwise healthy people . Chronic lack of sleep increases the risk of obesity , heart disease , and infections .

Healing / Immune Function

Even a small loss of sleep has been shown to negatively impact immune function . A large two-week study monitored the development of the common cold after exposing people to the virus . They found that the people who slept only seven hours were three times more likely to develop a cold than those who slept eight or nine hours . Sleep can even impact the effectiveness of vaccinations . Well-rested people who received the flu vaccine developed stronger protection against the illness than those who didn ’ t get as much sleep . Sleep loss also activates undesirable markers of inflammation and cell damage . More and more studies are finding that inflammation severely damages all bodily systems and can even increase a person ’ s risk of developing psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety .

Too Much Sleep

If sleep boosts your health , then surely more sleep means more health benefits , right ? As it turns out , too much time snoozing can negatively impact our health as well , often causing the same issues as too little sleep . Interestingly , oversleeping has been linked to increased pain sensitivity . While it ’ s intuitive for us to lie down when we ’ re in pain , too much time spent in a sedentary position exacerbates the issue , especially in cases involving back or joint pain . Too much sleep can also trigger migraines and tension headaches .

Oversleeping is usually considered to be a potential symptom of underlying conditions like depression , anxiety , hypersomnia , or narcolepsy . In the case of hypersomnia , people sleep too many hours but still feel sleepy during the day , and it is usually caused by sleep apnea or sometimes brain tumors . Narcolepsy is a similar condition that causes people to fall asleep during the day without meaning to , such as when they ’ re working , driving , or even talking .

The tricky thing about oversleeping is that it ’ s hard to tell if oversleeping itself harms health or if certain illnesses are the cause of oversleeping . In general , however , studies have shown that adults and young adults who sleep too much tend to report increased fatigue , irritability , and lethargy . They also display slower reaction times , lower moods , poor mental performance , and fragmented sleep , which lends itself to several health implications .

The Goldilocks Rule

As a general rule of thumb , you reap the most health benefits from sleep when you take the middle ground . Getting anywhere between seven to nine hours is a normal and healthy amount for most adults , with teens requiring something more in the nine to ten hour range . Keep in mind , however , that the “ right ” amount of sleep is also dependent on the individual . If you naturally wake up after six hours and feel rested , then that just might be the way your body works . The same is true if you need ten hours . Sleeping in on the weekends or missing a few hours here or there isn ’ t going to hurt you . But if it ’ s a regular occurrence you may want to get it checked out .

CRYSTAL HAN is a freelance writer and artist . She graduated from San José State University with a BFA in Animation / Illustration and is an aspiring novelist , currently working on two books .

Sources :

Osmun , Rosie , “ Oversleeping : The Effects and Health Risks of Sleeping Too Much ”, HuffPost , https :// www . huffingtonpost . com / rosie-osmun / oversleeping-theeffects-and-health-risks-of-sleeping-toomuch _ b _ 9092982 . html

“ The Benefits of Slumber ”, NIH News in Health , https :// newsinhealth . nih . gov / 2013 / 04 / benefits-slumber

GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2018 gmhtoday . com 39