Sleep Facts

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Sleep Facts Review

Recently, there have been many scientific studies done on sleep but still some
sleep facts remain a mystery.

For example, we are not entirely clear what function sleep plays in our lives or why some of us need to sleep longer
(9 -11 hours) to feel well, while others can sleep much less (5-6 hours) without experiencing negative effects.

It is also hard to come up with a precise definition of sleep. Nevertheless, the fact is that sleep is necessary for a person to survive.

Basic Facts about Sleep:

on average we sleep about 8 hours per a 24-hour period.
during sleep, our consciousness and metabolism are reduced.
sleep is a necessary restoration time for the brain and body so they can function more efficiently.
an insufficient number of hours of sleep may lead to sleep deprivation.
people with good sleeping habits should be practically free from sleep problems.

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What Regulates Sleep?

Our body is driven by the internal biological clock regulated by factors like hormones, sunlight and temperature. This day/night cycle is called Circadian Rhythm what could be translated roughly to daily circle. The term comes from Latin where "circa" means around and "dies" means day.

Sleep Stages

Sleep is not uniform. Based on EEG (electroencephalograph), eye movements and some other changes in the body, there are two main types of sleep: NREM (non-rapid eye movement) and REM (rapid eye movement).