Why is it important to get good sleep?

There are lots of reasons that good sleep is important.^1-7

The body needs time to fix itself and heal.

While we sleep, the body’s cells and tissues can be repaired or fixed. Also, new cells can grow while we sleep. Everyday life can cause damage to our bodies, no matter how careful we may be. During good quality sleep, the body can fix this damage and make our bodies strong and healthy again.^2-7 What this also means is that when people don’t get good sleep, their bodies can’t heal very well.

The brain needs time to grow and learn.

Our brains are full of cells called neurons that work like roads. The neurons connect different parts of the brain together. This is why we can use many different parts of the brain at the same time. Some of the neurons (roads) that we use the most are like well-paved highways. This is because they have lots of traffic (information) on them, all the time. Others are like small dirt paths. They don’t get used all that much, or they are old and forgotten. As we learn new skills, a new path is made. While we sleep, this path can be made bigger and smoother, so that the new connection from point A to point B is easier. In this way, new skills and memories are learned faster. What this also means is that people who do not get good sleep have a harder time learning new things.

Good sleep helps people feel better and perform better.

There are lots of studies that show us what can happen when people don’t get enough sleep. They are more likely to cause car accidents.⁸ They have a hard time doing well at school, work, and sports. People who are sleep deprived have trouble remembering things, and more trouble focusing.⁹ They are more likely to feel irritable and grumpy. They have less emotional balance. These are all easy to avoid, IF you can get enough good sleep.

Sleep affects our hormone levels.

There are many hormones affected by sleep habits.

• The hormone melatonin controls our daily awake/asleep cycle. It goes up in the evening, a few hours before our bodies get ready to go to sleep. There are several things that can keep your melatonin levels from going up like they are supposed to:

• Bright lights: Brightly lit rooms, TV and computer screens, iPads, cell phones, and other devices in the evening make our brains think that it is still daytime.