With all the hustling and bustling involved in the daily living of an individual (when you’re in a rush to meet work, school, family, or household responsibilities), do you cut back on your sleep, thinking it won’t be a problem? Like many individual, you might think that sleep is merely a “down time” when the brain shuts off and the body rests. You better have a second thought because there is definitely more to that.


Sleep was long considered just a block of time when your brain and body shut down. Thanks to sleep research studies done over the past several decades, it is now known that sleep has distinct stages that cycle throughout the night in predictable patterns. Your brain and body functions stay active throughout sleep, but different things happen during each stage. For instance, certain stages of sleep are needed for us to feel well rested and energetic the next day, and other stages help us learn or make memories.
In brief, a number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help people stay healthy and function at their best. On the other hand, not getting enough sleep can be dangerous—for example, you are more likely to be in a car crash if you drive when you are drowsy.

How much sleep is enough for an individual per day?

Sleep needs vary from person to person, and they change throughout the life cycle. Most adults need 7–8 hours of sleep each night. Newborns, on the other hand, sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day, and children in pre-school sleep between 11 and 12 hours a day. School-aged children and teens need at least 10 hours of sleep each night.

Read more from the source: http://enhancedfact..com.ng/2015/09/the-need-for-healthy-sleep.html