Imagine it's 3:30 AM, you're sitting in a study room, computer and notes strewn throughout in no particular fashion and all you can think to yourself is, "I need to keep studying". As university students, it's more than common for people to pull all-nighters in an attempt to finish and cram procrastinated work. However, in doing so, we give up a hugely important aspect of our day; sleep. Not getting enough sleep has become the norm in our society, something that desperately needs to change. Here are a couple reasons why sleep is so important.
Physical Health
Sleep serves as a time for our bodies to rest and recover. Not only do blood vessels and other parts of the body heal during this time, but also play a part in regulating hormone balance. Additionally, sleep allows the immune system to maintain consistent function. Sleep deprivation could result in changes in how the immune system reacts to pathogens and throw off hormone levels from standard ratios. Physical symptoms caused by this could manifest in dangerous, chronic traits such as high blood pressure and having increased risk for heart disease.
Emotional Health
Studies have shown sleep deprivation is strongly correlated with negative social interactions. Individuals that tend to get less sleep have been found more likely to be irritable, lack motivation, and have greater difficulty positively interacting with their peers. Also, sleep deprivation has been found to increase individual's tendency to make riskier decisions and encourages mental instability.
Healthy Brain Function
Since sleep is the time for the body to rejuvenate, it comes as no surprise that the brain cannot function to its full potential when lacking sleep. Specifically, sleep allows the brain to form new neural pathways while reinforcing information taken in during the previous day. Without sleep, the brain is less capable of acquiring and processing new information in addition to having less ability to controlling emotions and making good decisions.
Without a doubt, sleep is one of the most important parts of our daily routines. Nevertheless, a majority of individuals, especially in high school and college, forgo the effort to maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. It might seem like a hassle to establish quality sleeping habits, but the positive effects will easily show through outlets such as academic performance and better mood. Don't put having a good sleep schedule off; I can attest from experience that sacrificing an extra hour of Netflix for sleep is entirely worth it.
