There are many mysteries in this universe, surely. From black holes to sinkholes, floating islands to flying magma, and faster-than-light particles to invisible critters. Yet one of the greatest enigmas in the history is the human body. It amazes scientists and researchers even now when the medical field has progressed quite marvelously. Quite a lot of mechanisms have been recorded and studied, but there are some conditions that still escape comprehension. For instance, sleep.
What is sleep? It is an involuntary phenomenon, which happens when the curtain of consciousness subsides and the body goes into a temporary inactive phase, lasting for several hours. However, the pressing question here is why does this bodily function even happen? What does it do for the human body? And, why is it so necessary? Read on to find out.
Energy Recovery
When you use your smartphone for hours on end playing PUBG or streaming Netflix over your amazing internet connection (Check: Local Cable Deals), the device starts heating up and losing battery power, right? What do you do, then? Put it on the charge, yes? Well, the same thing happens to your body. Working throughout the day, it demands rest at night. That’s where sleep comes in as a necessary condition that suspends certain bodily functions for a few hours in order to allow them to recover in the curtain of darkness.
Connection Renewal
As we go through life and gather experiences, our brain automatically registers them and creates meaningful connections around them. These links are pushed to the back of the mind for the duration your brain is engaged in the affairs of daily life. However, at night, once the mind drifts off into the ocean of sleep, these neural connections are brought to the forefront and strengthened.
Waste Removal
Raise your hand if you dislike the sight of an unkempt garden, strewn with weeds here and there. I do too. That’s why I never compromise on my eight-hours of sleep. Why? Because sleep enables the brain to sift the valuable from useless, memory wise and cell wise. Not only that, it assists the body’s wastage removal process as well. Sleep prepares and freshens up your body for the next day.
Gene Support
Genes are at the core of your body’s chromosomes, assisting cell synthesis and protein creation, etc. Once you head off to sleep and close your eyes, these genes are given a chance to regenerate and control the cellular activity with much greater efficiency. Conversely, the lack of sleep leads to the creation of irregularities in the gene system.
Emotional/Physical Alertness
What’s the longest you’ve gone without sleeping? And, did you happen to notice the shift in your physical and emotional state of being while in that sleep-deprived buzz? I bet you did. Because a prolonged delay of rest can cause your mind to lose alertness, your eye to lose focus, and your limbs to lose coordination, etc. Emotionally, you become more susceptible to mood swings and anxiety if you don’t get enough sleep. So, to increase your mental and spiritual acuity, close your eyes and drift off.
Immunity Reinforcement
Diseases are widespread in today’s world, which is one of the most depressing facts ever. These ailments usually happen because people’s immunity systems can’t handle/prevent the germ outbreak. However, an eight-hour optimum sleep period can definitely help in reinforcing the body’s immunity barriers and fight the diseases right off.
So, if you’ve been curious about the stuff that goes down in your body once you close your eyes, then I hope the aforementioned pointers have cleared your confusion to an extent. Let me know your thoughts about it in the comments.