Greg Chaffins 
“Get more sleep!” – This seems to be a phrase that has been hurled at me many times throughout the years, and despite a penchant for a short sleep cycle (even a little experimentation with Bi-Phasic cycles), I know that it’s required for good mental and physical health.
But let’s take a look at what sleep does for us and our brain.
The Nightly Cleaning Process
As we go about our day, our brain is kept busy constantly firing neurons and communicating with the rest of our body. All of this action is chemical in nature, and waste byproducts are created as a result. Recent technological advancements in neuroscience has identified the mechanics of the glymphatic system. This is a network that kicks into high gear whenever we sleep.
The glympthatic system is crucial in flushing out the accumulated toxins in our brain. This includes the removal of beta-amyloid proteins that are associated with Alzheimer’s Disease. This is why sleep can be considered the brain’s cleaning cycle, we just need to give the process the time it needs to happen.
Brain Filing Maintenance
Sleep is not just about keeping the brain tidy. This down time provides the opportunity for our mind to do its own filing system updates in the form of memory consolidation. As we go throughout our day we gather new information in the form of facts and memories.
During sleep the brain organizes this information, moving it from readily available short term memory into more stable long term storage.
The brain doesn’t just move memories around for better storage during sleep. In the REM stage the brain actually forms new connections between new memories and existing ideas. Through this process accumulated information can be reshaped to enhance our creativity and problem solving capability.
This mental defrag has shown to be very effective, with experiments showing improved recall capability in subjects after they sleep. This may be another reason why people like to sleep on an important decision – all the accumulated facts and their associations are more readily available for the decision making process.
Emotional Stability
Sleep is not only good for us from the creative and problem side of things, it can also help with emotions. When we skip on sleep, the amygdala – the part of the brain that handles fear and stress – becomes more active than usual. And if that isn’t enough, our prefrontal cortex, known to help with managing emotions, is now actually less effective in its job.
When you add these two together, the end result can be increased emotional volatility and overall, well, crankiness. People may start to avoid you, and you won’t be happy.
Good for Overall Health
It’s not just your brain that profits from adequate sleep. When you go into a deep sleep, the at-rest body uses this time to do its own maintenance. Growth hormone is released through the body, repairing various tissues that get damaged during the day.
The immune system uses this time to bolster its defenses, replenishing needed components to aid its fight against body invaders. The body also uses this time to regulate our metabolism, keeping things in check and optimizing body processes.
Considering the operation of these processes and its impact one the body, it’s easy to see why the lack of sleep presents health risks. Sleep deprivation has been linked to an overall weaker immune system, a greater chance of obesity, and even the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Sleep is Important
When it comes down to it, sleep is a vital biological process for both our brain and our body. It clears the brain of accumulated waste and strengthens our memories. Sleep can spark our creativity, regulate emotions, and restores our body from the daily wear and tear.
Most humans need 7 – 9 hours of sleep a night, and individual needs will vary. There are different techniques to get sleep, whether it is one period, bi-phasic, or even spread out over a 24 hour period.
At some point we do need a solid blocks of sleep that lasts a few hours, giving the processes time to run their course. Whatever schedule works best for you, it’s important that you stay a little consistent. Lacking that, a simple sleep journal or a smart watch to track your sleep time may work for you.
But whatever you do, remember that Sleep is often called the Gentle Tyrant – It will take back what is theirs, and the timing may not always be the best for your schedule. So stay more healthy and prepared by getting those 30 or 40 winks on a consistent basis.
Polyphasic sleep, sometimes known as segmented sleep, is the process of sleep being spent in multiple periods over the 24 hour period that makes up a day. This is in contrast to the more popular monophasic sleep patterns, which is usually a solid block of sleep within those 24 hours.
