Process of sleep in humans


Human beings spend one third of their life sleeping. Hence it is a behavioral state that is natural for all individuals. Prior to 1950 it was believed that a person’s body and mind is shut up when sleeping. But later intensive scientific research carried out by various scientists proved that various parts of our brain remain active even when we are asleep.

Sleep is an activity not an option. A person deprived of sleep often suffers from lack of concentration, memory loss, fatigue, depression and as a consequence emotional instability. Hence it is important to gather scientific information about changes that occur in the body during sleep and how those changes affect our ability to move and behave rationally.

Why do we fall asleep?
The scientific explanation which gives the reason of sleeping is that through out the day a chemical called adenosine is accumulated in the human beings. It makes people feel more and more tired. Once a person goes to sleep this adenosine breaks down. Moreover, when we go to sleep those nerve cells in the human brain called neurons become active which makes us to go to sleep switching off the neurons that keeps us active.

Misconceptions about sleep
The following are the myths related to sleep and their correct explanation:

1. During sleep body and brain goes to rest - There are some modest decrease in metabolism rates but not all organs take rest when we go to sleep.

2. Body adjusts to different sleep schedules easily - It is not easy for the biological clock to adjust with your shift schedules. People, who work at night and sleep in daytime, still feel sleepy at night. You cannot make your biological clock work as you wish.

3. People need less sleep as they go old - It is not necessary to sleep less as you go old. It happens mostly because of various diseases that hampers the sleep.

4. Sleeping less at night doesn’t affect daytime functioning - It gives rise to a condition of “sleep debt”. It has a negative effect on daytime functioning and people, who suffer from sleep debt, complain of fatigue, mood swings and depression.

5. Good night’s sleep decreases morning sleepiness - The people who suffer from insomnia or other sleeping disorders complain of morning sleepiness and even excessive sleeping for a day or night cannot cure them of that. They must seek professional help.



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