The basics of sleep: What you need to know about your time on the bed

Sleep is one of the most vital activities you do daily. It affects everything about you - your physical and mental health. In this article, we will explore some basic facts about sleep.

What Makes You Sleepy

Two factors determine how sleepy you are right now: your circadian rhythm and sleep pressure. Your circadian rhythm is your natural body clock. It makes you feel alert in the morning and sleepy at night. It also causes you to feel drowsy in the afternoon around lunchtime. Everyone's circadian rhythm is different. Some people are naturally morning persons. Others are night owls. This difference in people's circadian rhythms is most noticeable in teenagers. People at that age tend to sleep and wake up later because of a natural body clock shift. Trying to make a teenager sleep at 9 p.m. is similar to forcing an adult to sleep at 7 p.m. The second reason you feel sleepy is sleep pressure, which continues to increase as long as you remain awake. You become more drowsy as the day goes by because a chemical called adenosine builds up in your brain and reduces the activity of your neurons. These two factors determine how sleepy you feel. Knowing how alert you will be at different times can be helpful for you to plan your day.

More Than Seven Hours

You may feel fine sleeping seven hours or less every day. Even so, you are most likely sleep-deprived. You just got used to it. Some people feel okay with six hours of sleep because they have a rare gene. However, the likelihood of having that gene is extremely low - you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning over your lifetime. You need more than seven hours of sleep each day. You can fall into the trap of thinking you are just fine. But if you try sleeping more, you will be amazed how much more of life you can experience.