Our lives are busy! It can feel like there is not enough time in a day to fit in everything that needs to get done. It might seem like a good idea to push back your bedtime to try and get everything done. In actuality, sleep should be the priority. The side effects from lack of sleep usually do not show up right away. This is why it can feel as if sleep is something quickly pushed aside, but it is one of the most crucial needs for your body. It is tempting to stay up and finish watching that last episode or to get those assignments done, but your memory, immune system, hormones, productivity, metabolism, and more will not be able to function at full without a good night’s rest.

Before we get into why it is so important, lets talk a little about how it all works. Sleep is when the body rests and rejuvenates. While you sleep, the body and mind go through a serios of resting stages which are vital for overall health. There are two general stages, Rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM. Those two stages are then broken down into four to five individual cycles. The first three stages are categorized under the non-REM section.

Stage one is the shortest. It is classified as the act of dozing off and transitioning from waking to sleeping state. Stage two is the longest, and it is when the body and mind slow down and begin to enter a full sleep state. Stages one and two are light sleep and the easiest stages to be woken from. These two stages take up half of a night’s rest.

Stage three is the time your body uses to recover. The mind and body slow down even further, which is why this stage is commonly referred to as deep sleep, and the brain activity starts showing a pattern of pulses. The pulses are believed to be an act of prevention from waking up.

The fourth stage is the all-mighty REM sleep. This is when the most vivid dream occurs, and it is a crucial stage for your health. REM sleep happens during the second half of the night. Interestingly, brain activity during REM reaches back up to levels similar to waking hours. This is why vivid dreams can happen. Our minds best consolidate and prosses information during this stage, and it is often linked to better immune function.

Depending on the individual, it takes, give or take, 8 hours to complete all four stages of a sleep cycle. REM, although not necessarily more important than the other stages, it is vital for your mental and physical health. Since it is the last stage, cutting sleep hours back means cutting the REM cycle short. It has been proven that individuals who achieve an adequate about of REM sleep have better memory retention and emotion function.

Humans are the only species that intentionally cut back on sleep. We are also the most intelligent and intellectually stimulated species, so it does not make sense why we would forgo those crucial resting hours. We have talked about what sleep does for your health and well-being. The effects of lack of sleep are so significant that a leading sleep expert stated it is a “catastrophic epidemic that is killing us.” He also believed there should be policies developed that will mandate sleep

So, what happens when you do not get enough? Turns out there are countless adverse side effects that can and will occur. It so happens that brain damage is one of the side effects. Although it is minor, that is a scary thought. Researchers at Stanford University found that just one night of sleep deprivation will raise amyloid beta levels. Amyloid beta is a substance that gathers and makes toxic plaque in the cells of the brain. This may cause neurodegenerative processes.

There are two hormones that help the function of hunger. Ghrelin tells you when you are hungry, and leptin tells you when you are full. These two hormones, along with many others, are greatly influenced by lack of sleep. It causes ghrelin to spike and leptin to decrease. That means you want to eat more often and do not know when to stop. It has also been proven that lack of sleep causes an increase in high-carbohydrate and high-calorie food cravings.

After just one week of consistently getting six or fewer hours a night, it is known for making your emotional control go out of wack. Your brain has an area called the amygdala that is responsible for extreme emotional reactions. The prefrontal cortex will usually take hold of it and tell it to calm down, but lack of sleep has been seen to increase the amygdala’s reactions by 60%.

Remember how I said the prefrontal cortex does not take control of the amygdala? Well, that is because it decreases in function when you do not have enough sleep. The prefrontal cortex is known as the “personality center,” and it is what makes you unique and

act like you. That is not something you want to mess with. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can cause people to say, do, act, and be more irrational compared to those with a full night of sleep.

I have just scratched the surface of what lack of sleep can do to you. But let’s not focus on all the dangers, just think of how amazing you will feel if you do developed a healthy sleep pattern. It seems that now days there are more people with wacky sleep patterns than people who consistently sleep well. So, let’s change that. Starting with you. Get a good night’s rest. You deserve it.