{"id":33655,"date":"2023-03-15T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carolineci-08283ad4cf-hfd4hchkb6g4gudz.a01.azurefd.net\/?p=33655"},"modified":"2023-03-15T01:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-15T01:00:00","slug":"why-do-we-need-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carolinescircuits.com\/blog\/2023\/03\/15\/why-do-we-need-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Why do we need sleep?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s World Sleep Day on Friday 17th March with the theme this year \u201cSleep is Essential for Health\u201d so what better time to talk about the importance of a good night\u2019s sleep? Sleep is an essential function which allows your body and mind to recharge which in turns boosts immunity, helps prevent injury and generally keeps you fit and healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how does it work, what is the science behind sleep?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You have an internal body clock, called the circadian rhythm, which regulates your sleep cycle and controls when you feel sleepy and tired and when you\u2019re refreshed and alert. It is suggested that adults aged 26-64 need 7-9 hours of sleep per night and those over 65 need 7-8 hours. This sounds like a lot and for many of us this might not always be achievable \u2013 but it\u2019s something to aim for. You go through sleep cycles in your sleep of 90-120 minutes which consist of lighter and deeper sleep. Throughout these stages your body has a chance to recharge and refresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens if you don\u2019t get enough sleep? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An insufficient amount of sleep over a prolonged period can lead to a higher risk of some medical conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and poor mental health. Alongside this attention, reaction time and cognition are also reduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise and sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to exercise and recovery, sleep really is so important. It has a huge impact on muscle recovery so if you\u2019re running, strength training, doing anything that challenges your muscles then you\u2019re going to need your rest. Earlier I said we go through different phases of lighter and deeper sleep during our sleep cycles \u2013 two of these phases are particularly important for your muscles. REM sleep accounts for 20-25% of total sleep time and occurs in the latter half of each cycle of sleep. This REM sleep provides energy to the brain that supports it during waking hours. Non-REM sleep or deep sleep is essential for muscle recovery. It accounts for 40% of total sleep time – as the blood pressure and heart rate drops and breathing becomes deeper and slower the brain is fully resting allowing more blood supply to reach your muscles. In doing so it delivers extra oxygen and nutrients to promote healing and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can we improve our sleep?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are some top tips on improving your sleep:<\/p>\n\n\n\n