The Facts About Sleep
Sleep is such an important part of our lives, and a key building block to mental wellness. Unfortunately, many of us don't pay attention to the quality of our sleep and its impact on our overall mood and wellbeing.
The Role and Function of Sleep
Just like water, food and air, sleep is essential to humans. When necessary, we can cope without sleep for periods of time, but the longer that we are awake the stronger the urge to sleep becomes.
Many researchers agree that sleep serves a restorative purpose, both psychologically and physiologically. It is thought that delta sleep (stages 3 & 4) is most involved with restoring the body and physical energy, while REM sleep is most important for restoring mental function such as memory and concentration.
Sleep is extremely important for general physical health, restoring energy, repairing injuries or illness, growth, psychological wellbeing and modd, concentration, memory, work performance, and getting along with others.
Effects of lack of sleep
- Poor attention, concentration and memory
- Irritability and other mood disturbances
- Impaired judgement and reaction time
- Poor physical coordination (dangerous for driving)
The seriousness of these effects depends on how bad the sleep deprivation is and the tasks and responsibilities of the day. If you have ongoing problems with sleep, it is important to seek help.