Colin Snow
Sleep is a fundamental human need, just like food and water. We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, but why? Sleep is essential for maintaining good health and survival. It is a time when the body and mind undergo many important and necessary processes, including restoring energy, repairing cells, and removing toxic waste from the brain. Scientists have found that sleep helps the body in several ways, but there is still much unknown about the purpose of sleep.
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What You'll Learn
Sleep is essential for good health and survival
Sleep affects almost every type of tissue and system in the body, from the brain, heart, and lungs to metabolism, immune function, mood, and disease resistance. Sleep also produces certain antibodies and immune cells, which prevent sickness by destroying harmful germs. During sleep, the brain stores new information and gets rid of toxic waste. Nerve cells communicate and reorganise, supporting healthy brain function.
The body repairs cells, restores energy, and releases molecules like hormones and proteins. Just one sleepless night can make it harder to focus and think clearly, and you might feel tired or sluggish during the day. You’re more likely to feel irritable and to exercise poor judgment when you haven’t had enough sleep.
To improve your sleep, you can make some simple behavioural changes. For example, get at least 20 minutes of exposure to natural light in the morning, commit to a regular sleep schedule, and adopt a relaxing bedtime routine. Make sure your bedroom environment is cool, dark, quiet, and comfortable.
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Sleep helps the body repair itself
The energy conservation theory also supports the idea that sleep helps the body repair itself. This theory suggests that we need sleep to conserve energy. Sleeping allows us to reduce our caloric needs by spending part of our time functioning at a lower metabolism. Research suggests that eight hours of sleep for human beings can produce a daily energy saving of 35% per 24-hour cycle.
Sleep also helps the body repair itself by allowing it to rest and recover from the stresses of the day. Early humans slept in one consolidated block at night, which allowed them to avoid predators, conserve energy, and meet their need for rest. This also kept them from having to adapt to life in two very different conditions—daylight and darkness.
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Sleep affects the brain, heart, lungs, metabolism, immune function, mood and disease resistance
Sleep affects almost every type of tissue and system in the body. Sleep is required for brain function, allowing neurons or nerve cells to reorganise. The brain's glymphatic system clears out waste from the central nervous system.
Sleep also has an impact on the heart and lungs. According to the energy conservation theory, we need sleep to conserve energy. Sleeping allows us to reduce our caloric needs by spending part of our time functioning at a lower metabolism. Research suggests that eight hours of sleep can produce a daily energy saving of 35% per 24-hour cycle.
The restorative theory states that the body needs sleep to restore itself, allowing cells to repair and regrow. Sleep also affects immune function, mood, and disease resistance.
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Sleep helps the brain store new information
Sleep is essential for maintaining good health. It gives the body time to repair itself and carry out important functions, such as clearing out waste and releasing hormones. Without these processes, our bodies can't function correctly.
Sleep also produces certain antibodies and immune cells, which prevent sickness by destroying harmful germs. This is why sleep is so important when you're sick or stressed. During these times, the body needs even more immune cells and proteins.
Just one sleepless night can make it harder to focus and think clearly. You might feel tired or sluggish during the day, and you're more likely to feel irritable and exercise poor judgment.
To improve your sleep, try to get at least 20 minutes of exposure to natural light in the morning, commit to a regular sleep schedule, and adopt a relaxing bedtime routine. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, quiet, and comfortable, and avoid electronics with screens in the hour before bed.
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Sleep improves focus and clear thinking
The brain plasticity theory states that sleep is required for brain function. Sleep allows neurons, or nerve cells, to reorganise. When we sleep, our brain's glymphatic (waste clearance) system clears out waste from the central nervous system.
The restorative theory also states that the body needs sleep to restore itself. Sleep allows cells to repair and regrow.
According to the energy conservation theory, we need sleep to conserve energy. Sleeping allows us to reduce our caloric needs by spending part of our time functioning at a lower metabolism. Research suggests that eight hours of sleep for human beings can produce a daily energy saving of 35% per 24-hour cycle.
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Frequently asked questions
Sleep is a fundamental need, just like food or water. We need sleep to survive.
When we don't get enough sleep, our body doesn't have time to repair cells, restore energy, or release molecules like hormones and proteins.
Sleep is required for brain function. It allows our neurons or nerve cells to reorganize and get rid of toxic waste.
Sleep allows us to reduce our caloric needs by spending part of our time functioning at a lower metabolism.
