Good sleep is as important to our well-being as a balanced diet and regular exercise. Yet, in our constantly fast-paced world, sleep is often the first thing we give up or surrender. This blog post takes a deep dive into the fascinating nocturnal activities of our brain, the enigma of dreams, the repercussions of sleep deprivation, and the complex interaction of circadian rhythms and homeostasis in regulating our sleep patterns. Through this exploration, I aim to highlight the important role of sleep in our physical and mental health.
Please note that the content provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While I aim to share knowledge and tips to support your mental health journey towards serenity and wellness, this blog does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified mental health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or mental health concerns.
The Nighttime Odyssey: What Happens When We Sleep?
As we eventually surrender to sleep, our brain begins its journey through various stages. Unique patterns of brain waves and physiological activities identify each stage. It is important for memory consolidation (where your brain stores and organizes your thoughts for the day), cognitive function (how fast and easily your brain can work), and emotional regulation (how you handle and control your feelings).
As we move from being awake to sleeping, our brain goes through remarkable changes. Sleep can be broken down into two main types: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-REM (NREM) sleep, each with distinct brain patterns and functions.
1. Non-REM Sleep: The Foundation of Rest
Non-REM sleep is the initial phase of sleep, consisting of three stages:
- Stage 1: A light sleep where we drift in and out of sleep and can be easily awakened.
- Stage 2: Our heart rate slows, and our body temperature drops, preparing us for deep sleep.
- Stage 3: Deep sleep occurs, essential for physical recovery and growth hormone release.
2. REM Sleep: The Dream Stage
After completing the NREM sleep, we enter REM sleep; this is where most of our dreaming happens. The brain becomes more active, simulating wakefulness. REM sleep is crucial for cognitive functions, such as memory consolidation and emotional processing.
The Enigma of Dreams
Dreams are awesome, and there is so much research out there about them. There are so many psychological theories that are based a lot on sleep and how dreams are interpreted. I will share with you the information that I learned in school about dreams. Dreams are the stories our mind weaves during sleep. They mainly occur during REM sleep and are thought to play a role in emotional regulation and problem-solving.
Some theories suggest dreams are a way for the brain to process emotions and experiences, integrating new information with existing memories. This is how I often explain dreams to my clients, “Imagine yourself inside of a huge magic library. There are thousands of bookcases all around you as you stand in the middle of the library.”
“As you look around, you see books flying all around you. Each of those books has their own titles, such as pool party, 2016, or birth of baby, 1994. As you see each of these books fly past you, your brain grabs that information and creates a story. That story, is your dream!” This is why you can have an odd dream about your college friend Mary at your pool party when you were five years old. Your conscious and unconscious memories collaborate and create your dreams.
How Much Sleep Do I Need?
| Newborn | 0-3 months old | 14-17 hours |
| Infant | 4-12 months old | 12-16 hours per 24 hours (including naps) |
| Toddler | 1-2 years old | 11-14 hours per 24 hours (including naps) |
| Preschool | 3-5 years old | 10-13 hours per 24 hours (including naps) |
| School Age | 6-12 years old | 9-12 hours per 24 hours |
| Teen | 13-18 years old | 8-10 hours per 24 hours |
| Adult | 18-60 years old | 7 or more hours per night |
| 61-64 years old | 7-9 hours | |
| 65 years and older | 7-8 hours |
Table provided by CDC Sleep and Sleep Disorders
https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html
The Toll of Sleep Deprivation
Skipping out on sleep can have serious repercussions for both the brain and body: I get it, you want to have that awesome night of gaming with your friends, or you want to binge your new favorite show, but it will hurt you in the long run.
Cognitive Impairment: Lack of sleep can lead to reduced concentration, impaired memory, and decreased problem-solving ability. I have met some people that met a lot of the criteria for ADHD, but they didn’t actually have ADHD, they just were not getting enough sleep! Once they corrected their sleep schedule and increased their sleep hygiene, those ADHD symptoms went away.
Therefore, if you do not get enough sleep, the speed, flexibility, and memory recall skills of your brain will be a lot worse.
Emotional Volatility: Sleep deprivation or just poor sleep can cause mood swings, increase your stress, and leaves you vulnerable to mental health disorders. When you are not getting enough sleep, you are not giving your body the energy that it needs to do all sorts of things, like making decisions, handling stress, dealing with your emotions, and so much more.
If you find yourself often struggling with your emotions, feel like they are controlling you, or feel like you are always struggling with handling stress, then you should check in on how much sleep you are getting a night.
Physical Health Risks: Chronic sleep loss is linked to heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. If your body and brain are not getting the energy it needs for sleep, it takes energy from other places, like food, sugar, or worse, caffeine! For those of you who paid attention in high school biology, you may remember your teacher explaining how food is energy. If you eat unhealthy food, you will feel and be unhealthy. I remember hearing that phrase, “You are what you eat.”
So, you aren’t getting the energy you that you SHOULD be getting from sleep. Now your body needs to consume more food for energy. When you eat too much food, you then begin gaining weight. Do you see the direction I am going in? Talk to your doctor if you want to know more about the physical side of poor sleep. The same goes for sugar, the body uses sugar for a quick boost of energy, however, there will usually be a sugar crash that makes you feel worse later.
As for caffeine, it blocks the the part of your brain that tells you, “Hey bro I’m tired, lets catch some Z’s.” The problem with this, is it doesn’t stop us from being tired, it stops us from feeling tired. Eventually it wears off and we feel terrible and even more tired.
The Brain’s Nighttime Chemistry
Sleep is regulated by various neurotransmitters and hormones:
A neurotransmitter is like a messenger that helps brain cells talk to each other. Imagine you’re playing a game where you need to pass a ball from one person to another to score a point. In your brain, the neurotransmitter is like that ball, carrying messages from one brain cell to another. This helps your brain do everything from moving your hand to thinking about your favorite song.
Hormones:
Melatonin: Produced by the pineal gland, melatonin lets the body know that it’s time to go to sleep.
Cortisol: Levels of this stress hormone decrease at bedtime and increase toward morning, helping to wake you up.
Neurotransmitter:
Adenosine: As you go through your day, adenosine builds up over time. This slowly makes you feel tired. When you go to sleep, it resets.
Circadian Rhythms and Homeostasis: The Body’s Clocks
Our sleep-wake cycle is regulated by two main processes: circadian rhythms and sleep homeostasis.
Circadian Rhythms: This is often referred to as your body’s internal biological clock. It is synchronized with the 24-hour day, and it regulates your sleep-wake cycle, body temperature, and hormone release. These are 24-hour cycles that are influenced by outside light-dark cycles, dictating our natural patterns of sleep and wakefulness.
They affect not only sleep but also body temperature, hormone release, and eating habits. Basically, when light hits your eyes, your body will begin to wake up, when it does not receive light and is in the dark, it will begin to fall asleep. That is why cell phones, tablets, and TV’s are looked down upon when they are in your bedroom. The light they give off confuses your brain.
When your body senses that light, it begins to release the hormone cortisol, and your body will begin to warm up and wake up. Yes, you read that right, the stress hormone is what helps you wake up in the morning. When you are feeling stressed, your body also releases cortisol. That is why, when you go to sleep feeling stressed, you sleep a lot worse than normal.
At night, your body releases natural melatonin to begin winding down your body.
Sleep Homeostasis: This refers to the body’s need for sleep, which increases the longer we’re awake and decreases during sleep. It ensures we get the right amount of sleep to compensate for the energy used while awake.
Strategies for Better Sleep
To harness the benefits of sleep, consider the following tips:
- Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your body’s clock. Yes, that includes weekends. Sorry!
- Create a bedtime routine: This will help to send the signal to your brain that it is time to go to bed. Our brains love patterns!
- Create a Restful Environment: Ensure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. If it is loud, light, and/or hot, you will not sleep as well.
- Limit Exposure to Light: Reduce screen time before bed to minimize exposure to blue light.
- Exercise Regularly: Regular physical activity can promote better sleep.
- Mind Your Diet: Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime.
Conclusion
Understanding the complexities of sleep is crucial for our physical, mental, and emotional health. By exploring the functions of sleep, the significance of dreams, and the consequences of sleep deprivation, we can begin to appreciate the profound impact sleep has on our lives.
Embracing good sleep practices can lead to improved health, enhanced cognitive function, and a greater sense of well-being. So let’s go to bed and get some sleep!
References
- National Sleep Foundation. (2023). Why Do We Need Sleep?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Much Sleep Do I Need?
- Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner.
- Harvard Medical School. (2024). Healthy Sleep: Understanding the Third of Our Lives We So Often Take for Granted.
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2024). Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep.