Pattern of Sleep

1. Physiologically, sleep is a complex process of restoration and renewal for the body. Scientists still do not have a definitive explanation for why humans have a need for sleep.
2. 1. Irritability “Complaints of irritability and [emotional] volatility following sleepless nights” are common, a team of Israeli researchers observed. They put those complaints to the test by following a group of underslept medical residents. The study found that the negative emotional effect of disruptive events — things like being interrupted while in the middle of doing something — were amplified by sleep loss.
2. Headaches Scientists don’t yet know exactly why sleep deprivation leads to headaches — but it’s a connection doctors have noticed for more than a century. Migraines can be triggered by sleepless nights, and 36 to 58% of people with sleep apnea wake up with “nondescript morning headaches.”
3. Inability to learn Sleepiness has long been an issue among adolescents. One study of middle school students found that “delaying school start times by one hour, from roughly 7:30 to 8:30, increases standardized test scores by at least 2 percentile points in math and 1 percentile point in reading.” But it’s not just kids. Short-term memory is a crucial component of learning, and sleep deprivation significantly impaired the ability of adult volunteers to remember words they’d been shown the day before. In another study, researchers found that while people tend to improve on a task when they do it more than once, this isn’t true if they are kept awake after they try it the first time — even if they sleep again before doing it again.
4. Weight gain People who are underslept seem to have hormone imbalances that are tied to increased appetite, more cravings for high-calorie foods, a greater response to indulgent treats, and a dampened ability to control their impulses — a very dangerous combination. It’s true that you burn more calories when awake, but not nearly enough to cancel out the many excess calories you consume when exhausted.
5. Poor vision Sleep deprivation is associated with tunnel vision, double vision, and dimness. The longer you are awake, the more visual errors you’ll encounter, and the more likely you are to experience outright hallucinations.

3. - Sleep helps to fuel your brain and your body. Teens need more sleep because their bodies and minds are growing quickly.
- Scientific research shows that many teens do not get enough sleep. To be at your best, you need between 9 and 10 hours of sleep every day. While you might not always be able to get this much, it’s important to try and get as much as you can.

4. - Lower stress threshold. When you’re tired, routine activities, such as stopping at the grocery store on the way home from work, walking the dog or picking up the house can feel like overwhelming tasks.
- Impaired memory. Deep sleep fosters the formation of connections between cells, and REM sleep aids in memory formation. Students considering pulling an all-nighter to study for that big exam might do better to get some sleep.
- Trouble concentrating. When you’re dragging yourself through the day, it’s hard to stay alert and focused. This is why we don’t want our pilots and surgeons to lose too much sleep. Sleep-deprived people have trouble focusing on tasks and overestimate their performance.
- Decreased optimism and sociability. Whether it’s the effort we have to put into staying awake or other factors, sleep deprivation makes us less hopeful and less friendly.
- Impaired creativity and innovation. A growing body of research suggests that sleep deprivation may have a particular effect on cognitive processes that rely on our experience of emotions.

Sleep patterns can be affected by many factors, including age, the amount of recent sleep or wakefulness, the time of the day or night relative to an individual’s internal clock, other behaviors prior to sleep such as exercise, stress, environmental conditions such as temperature and light, and various chemicals.- Keep your figure Watching your weight can be as simple as getting a good night's sleep. Lack of sleep can make you put on weight by drastically slowing your metabolism down, according to a study by scientists at Uppsala University in Sweden. The researchers suggested getting plenty of sleep might prevent weight gain.
- You can concentrate better We have all woken up after a good night's sleep ready to take on the world. But IKEA's Slumber Survey found one in three Australians rate their sleep as 'poor' to 'terrible'. A bad night's sleep can leave you struggling all day. More than half of us will have problems concentrating after sleeping badly, according to a survey by shopping channel QVC.
- You'll be in a great mood Nearly two thirds of people blame lack of sleep when they feel irritable, according to the QVC survey.
IKEA spokesman Angela McCann says: "It's unsurprising only 1% of those asked in the Slumber Survey claim to feel fantastic when they wake up. The lack of sleep and the ensuing tiredness is likely impacting on people's judgment, problem-solving and creativity."
- You'll look more attractive Regular shut-eye actually makes you look healthier and more attractive, according to a 2010 study published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers photographed 23 people after a period of sleep deprivation and after a normal night's sleep of eight hours. The photos were shown to 65 people who rated each photo based on health attractiveness and tiredness. The sleep deprived group scored lower in all three categories.
- Ability to make better informed decisions We've all heard of sleeping on a problem, in the hope that come morning the solution will be clear. Well scientists have found that when you do this your brain still looks for a solution, even when you're asleep. Even if you don't wake up with an answer, a good night's sleep will equip your brain to assess the problem afresh.
6.
- Sleep patterns can be affected by many factors, including age, the amount of recent sleep or wakefulness, the time of the day or night relative to an individual’s internal clock, other behaviors prior to sleep such as exercise, stress, environmental conditions such as temperature and light, and various chemicals.
7.
- Fetus position - A whopping 41% of participants sleep in this curled-up manner. Women are twice as likely to rest like this and it is listed as the most common position. These sleepers are said to have a tough exterior but are still sensitive and may appear to be shy but warm up quickly.
- Log position - If you sleep on your side with both arms down, you are a social, easy-going person who is trusting, sometimes to the point of being gullible. The study showed 15% of people sleep like a log.
- Yearner position - A close third is the side-lying position with both arms out in front of the body, with 13% of partipants sleeping like this. Yearners are noted to be open-minded and still cynical, suspicious, and stubborn about sticking to decisions once they are made.
- Soldier position - These sleepers lie on their backs with arms down and kept close to the body. This 8% study is said to be reserved, quiet, without fuss, and hold themselves and others to a high standard. Soldier sleepers have a higher likelihood for snoring due to the flat-back position, which may not cause them to wake up often but may result in a less restful night's sleep.
- Freefall position - Those people who lie on their bellies with arms under or wrapped around a pillow with head turned to the side, make up 7% of the population studied. Freefallers are brash, outgoing, and are very uncomfortable with criticism.
- Starfish position - Sleepers who lie on their backs with arms up near their head or the pillow account for 5% of participants. These people are good listeners, helpful, and are uncomfortable being the center of attention. People who sleep in starfish position are more likely to snore and to suffer from a poor night's sleep more often.
8.
Insomnia is the inability to get the amount of sleep you need to wake up feeling rested and refreshed. Because different people need different amounts of sleep, insomnia is defined by the quality of your sleep and how you feel after sleeping—not the number of hours you sleep or how quickly you doze off. Even if you’re spending eight hours a night in bed, if you feel drowsy and fatigued during the day, you may be experiencing insomnia.
9.
- Difficulty falling asleep despite tired
- Waking up frequently during the night
- Trouble getting back to sleep when awakened
- Exhausting sleep
- Relying on sleeping pills or alcohol to fall asleep
- Waking up too early in the morning
- Daytime drowsiness, fatigue, or irritability
- Difficulty concentrating during the day