Does Sleep Matter Research Paper

Picture a world in which humans and animals alike were deprived of what we arguably need most, sleep. It is not possible, as humans and most animals physically require sleep in order to survive. Sleep is defined as “a condition of body and mind such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended” (www.Dictionary.com). Since you can remember, it has been engrained in all humans minds that when you are tired, you go to sleep but why? Scientists over the years have developed multiple theories on what sleep exactly is, as well why we need it including the Inactivity theory, Energy Conservation theory, Restorative …show more content…
The theory states that sleep is correlated to changes in the structure and organization of the brain (Why Sleep Matters). It is evident that in infants and small children, their brain development is factored largely by how much sleep they get, and the connection to sleep has several critical implications. It is known that infants sleep about 13 to 14 hours per day, and half of the time spent sleeping is spent dreaming, and a link is becoming clear between sleep and brain plasticity. A lack of adequate sleep takes a toll on learning and memory. It becomes much more difficult to receive information when a person is sleep deprived, which is why the Brain Plasticity Theory is believable in the sense that our brains need stimulation in order to function properly and the stimulation we gain from sleep and dreaming, can better develop our learning skills and memory. Although not as elaborate or explanatory as other sleep theories, the Brain Plasticity Theory is one that in the future, when better developed can really help us as humans discover why sleep is so vital for cognitive function and