Think you can get by on just a couple of hours of sleep each night? Think again.
When you’re planning your route to college, you might think that being able to stay up all night studying without passing out the next day is an excellent skill to have. However, studies have proven that a regular lack of sleep can cause a lot of dangerous and significant changes in the brain and body. In fact, the less you sleep, the higher your chances are of having various chronic diseases.
Sleep is a crucial human function for many reasons. When you drift off to sleep each night, your body tells your brain to release compounds and hormones that help with decreasing adverse health conditions, managing immune system functioning, and retaining memory.
Simply trying to make up for lost sleep on the weekend when you’re not busy doesn’t work either. You need to aim to get the right amount of sleep every day if you want to get the best results.
Why 7 to 8 Hours of Sleep?
While the exact amount of sleep that each person needs will vary, most scientific studies suggest that the healthiest amount of sleep that an average adult needs are between seven and eight hours per night. There are plenty of online resources like this helpful comprehensive guide on how you can get more deep sleep to get more info on the topic.
Researchers in the UK looked at 16 different studies compiled over 25 years and found that those who usually slept less than 7 hours a night were 12% more likely to die of premature death. Additionally, people who slept more than 9 hours a night had a higher risk of death too. In other words, you don’t want to sleep too much or too little, as you could be putting your health at risk. Finding the best amount of sleep each night that suits you is crucial to your all-around good health.
What Does Sleep Do for You?
Sleep doesn’t just keep you looking young and stop you from yawning during your lectures. Sleep has many more benefits for people of all ages. Whether you are a young college student or one that is more mature in age, when you get the right amount of sleep each night, you will benefit in a number of different ways. For instance, studies have found that poor sleep habits increase the body’s need for energy, increasing your chances of falling victim to obesity because of over-eating. In relation to this, a 2014 study found that those who slept less had an increased risk of obesity.
Sleep is also crucial for making sure that your immune system can function properly. When you sleep, your immune system releases crucial cytokines that have a shielding effect on your immune system and helps with fighting inflammation. When you don’t have enough sleep, you don’t necessarily get enough cytokines to stop you from getting sick. Other parts of your immune system, such as your white blood cells and antibodies, can begin to reduce over time when you have little to no sleep. Studies found that sleep restriction can even increase the number of inflammatory compounds in the body.
Sleep is absolutely essential for having sharper memory too. Research reveals that sleeping after learning something (listen up students) can help with memory retention. On the other hand, if you’re sleep-deprived, then you may interpret events poorly and struggle to concentrate.
Getting Enough Sleep Is Crucial
In today’s fast-paced world, it can feel as though there’s never enough time to get plenty of sleep into your daily routine. However, the truth is that nobody can survive without sleep. If you fail to get the 7 to 8 hours of recommended rest each night, you could have a higher risk of everything physical to mental diseases.
For more helpful college tips, check out the other blogs on College Basics.
