Why Do We Sleep?
Why do we sleep?
As we all know, one third of our life is spent to sleep, but very few people intend to lay bare the secret of that. There would be a question: why do we sleep? According to the video "The Function of Sleep", Tyson states that people are not very clear about the purpose of sleep, but some researchers believe that sleep could enhance memory. MIT researcher Matthew Wilson also illustrates the thoughts of a rat can be read by implanted the electric wire into its brain. According to a special project "rat maze", memory not only affects the rat finds the way with same pattern, but also generates the main part of its dreams. The video also concludes that the function of sleep is learning and memory, and it is not just a biological process, not matter for humans or animals ("The Function of Sleep"). Although a lot of young people claimed that sleep is not important and they could stay up all night, I have to say that lack of sleep will lead to physical, psychological and intellectual problem.
To begin with, having no enough sleep is dangerous to human health. First, people who have poor sleep frequently are more likely to suffer from heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. According to "Lack of Sleep Linked to Heart Problems", poor quality of sleep can raise cortisol levels, which fuels inflammation that can destabilize plaques. Once these deposits rupture, they can block vessels in the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke. Besides that, sleep is an essential period for reducing blood pressure. People sleeping less will have shorter periods of lower blood pressure, thus increasing their tendency to prompt blood pressure (Park). For example, Tina, my friend in China, who often work overtime or even overnight has heart problem, although she is just 30-year old. Second, there is a direct connection between sleep quality and a person's length of life. Getting good sleep may even increase your longevity, and vice versa. According to Dr.
As we all know, one third of our life is spent to sleep, but very few people intend to lay bare the secret of that. There would be a question: why do we sleep? According to the video "The Function of Sleep", Tyson states that people are not very clear about the purpose of sleep, but some researchers believe that sleep could enhance memory. MIT researcher Matthew Wilson also illustrates the thoughts of a rat can be read by implanted the electric wire into its brain. According to a special project "rat maze", memory not only affects the rat finds the way with same pattern, but also generates the main part of its dreams. The video also concludes that the function of sleep is learning and memory, and it is not just a biological process, not matter for humans or animals ("The Function of Sleep"). Although a lot of young people claimed that sleep is not important and they could stay up all night, I have to say that lack of sleep will lead to physical, psychological and intellectual problem.
To begin with, having no enough sleep is dangerous to human health. First, people who have poor sleep frequently are more likely to suffer from heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. According to "Lack of Sleep Linked to Heart Problems", poor quality of sleep can raise cortisol levels, which fuels inflammation that can destabilize plaques. Once these deposits rupture, they can block vessels in the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke. Besides that, sleep is an essential period for reducing blood pressure. People sleeping less will have shorter periods of lower blood pressure, thus increasing their tendency to prompt blood pressure (Park). For example, Tina, my friend in China, who often work overtime or even overnight has heart problem, although she is just 30-year old. Second, there is a direct connection between sleep quality and a person's length of life. Getting good sleep may even increase your longevity, and vice versa. According to Dr.
Cited: Daggett , Shannon. "How Does Sleep Impact Longevity?." life.gaiam.com. Gaiam Inc. , n.d. Web. 19 Feb 2012. Epstein, Lawrence. "Sleep and Mood." healthysleep.med.harvard.edu. Harvard Medical School, 15 Dec 2008. Web. 19 Feb 2012. Mann, Denise. "Are You Depressed -- or Just Sleepy?." www.webmd.com. WebMD LLC., 19 Jan 2010. Web. 19 Feb 2012. "No sleep affects thinking." goerie.com. Erie Times-News , 14 Mar 2011. Web. 19 Feb 2012. Park, Alice. "Lack of Sleep Linked to Heart Problems." TIME.com. Time Inc. , 23 Dec 2008. Web. 19 Feb 2012. Stibich, Mark. "Sleep and Your Life Expectancy." About.com. The New York Times Company, 30 Oct 2008. Web. 19 Feb 2012. Stein, Anne. "Lack of sleep contributing to obesity." articles.chicagotribune.com. Tribune Newspapers, 29 Jun 2011. Web. 19 Feb 2012. Stickgold, Robert. "Sleep, Learning, and Memory." http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu. Harvard Medical School, 18 Dec 2007. Web. 19 Feb 2012.