Sleep is very important to our health and daily functioning. Theories, such as the consolidation theory and the restorative theory, suggest that sleep plays a role in restoring memories, improving the immune system and promoting insight, problem solving and neural development. Disrupting the five stages of the sleep cycle can result in sleep deprivation causing damage to our overall physical and mental health.
A typical night’s sleep cycle consists of five different stages. The first four stages are known as non-REM sleep. As we begin to fall asleep we enter into stage one. During this stage, which lasts about five minutes, we are in a very light sleep. Our brain activity powers down by about 50 percent, producing irregular brain waves …show more content…
If we are not able to get to deep sleep and REM sleep, we become sleep deprived and can eventually lead to death. A study was completed that showed that depriving rats of REM sleep typically lead to their death within a few weeks and also found that they die even sooner from total sleep deprivation. In humans, when we are deprived of REM sleep for a few nights we experience REM rebound: The amount and intensity of REM sleep increases, suggesting that REM sleep serves as a critical biological function. The restorative theory states that we sleep to conserve energy and restore aspects of our physiology. When you are sleep deprived you may have a weakened immune system, a decrease in energy and a decline in strength and concentration. It also impairs your reasoning and problem solving skills. Sleep deprivation can also impact our ability to learn and remember information. A study, done by Karni, found that learning is disrupted when REM sleep and dreaming are prevented, also known as the consolidation theory. This theory states that sleep helps you to store and remember information better. If we are sleep deprived, it is harder for us to learn and store the information. Sleep is important because without it, we would not be able to function properly and possible …show more content…
If you are constantly woken up at various times during the night, your sleep cycle will be disrupted, resulting in sleep
A typical night’s sleep cycle consists of five different stages. The first four stages are known as non-REM sleep. As we begin to fall asleep we enter into stage one. During this stage, which lasts about five minutes, we are in a very light sleep. Our brain activity powers down by about 50 percent, producing irregular brain waves …show more content…
If we are not able to get to deep sleep and REM sleep, we become sleep deprived and can eventually lead to death. A study was completed that showed that depriving rats of REM sleep typically lead to their death within a few weeks and also found that they die even sooner from total sleep deprivation. In humans, when we are deprived of REM sleep for a few nights we experience REM rebound: The amount and intensity of REM sleep increases, suggesting that REM sleep serves as a critical biological function. The restorative theory states that we sleep to conserve energy and restore aspects of our physiology. When you are sleep deprived you may have a weakened immune system, a decrease in energy and a decline in strength and concentration. It also impairs your reasoning and problem solving skills. Sleep deprivation can also impact our ability to learn and remember information. A study, done by Karni, found that learning is disrupted when REM sleep and dreaming are prevented, also known as the consolidation theory. This theory states that sleep helps you to store and remember information better. If we are sleep deprived, it is harder for us to learn and store the information. Sleep is important because without it, we would not be able to function properly and possible …show more content…
If you are constantly woken up at various times during the night, your sleep cycle will be disrupted, resulting in sleep