Life can be hard and sometimes it can make us feel like we need more than the hours a day that we have available to us. Losing sleep over it is not the solution, in fact, it can be counterproductive. These are some examples of how it may become a real issue to lose sleep.
1. Sleep actually improves you'r memory.
It's true I promise! If you're up studying for a big exam, it'll actually be better for you to get some sleep. While you sleep, this part of your brain called the Hippocampus replays everything that you've learned in the day, helping your brain remember and store valuable information in your long-term memory, to use for later (Like for the exam for example).
2. Sleep keeps you healthy.
Your brain burns a lot of energy throughout the day and as a result produces "metabolic byproducts" which you can think of as the trash of the brain, what is left over and produced after all the work and effort throughout the day. While you sleep, your body "repairs itself" and prepares for the new day ahead. As you get some shut eye, your brain restores its neurons, but it can't do that if you don't sleep! Getting enough sleep makes your immune system stronger, decrease pain, and helps with headaches and migraines.
3. "Sleep Attack."
This is when your brain shuts down, therefore so does your body regardless of your efforts to stay awake. This can be deadly because your brain just does not care what you could be doing in the moment. For example, a friend of mine a few months ago went a couple of days without sleep because she was studying for finals. She went over to a friend's house to study, and as she was driving back home late at night, her body shut down, and she hit a tree. She is fine! She got away with only a few scratches and a wrecked car, but the accident could have been much worst!
4. "Beauty Sleep."
There is actually such a thing as "beauty sleep!" Getting enough sleep decreases the dark circles under your eyes, improves the appearance of your skin, and encourage weight loss.
5. Sleep keeps you in a good mood.
Not sleeping just literally puts you in a horrible mood. Why would you do that to yourself, and others around you? The longer you stay awake, the harder it is for your brain to burn energy and function normally. Your judgement will become hazy and will start to make less sense, leading you to mistakes. This will probably stress you out and make you more and more cranky as you begin to lose focus and become unable to remember things as efficiently as you used to.
Don't do this to yourself! Life is already complicated enough, don't add these to your list of problems. Sleep is your best friend.
