Sleep

Just as diet and exercise, sleep can directly impact our daily functioning and how well we can get through the day. It is important to take quality and quantity of sleep into consideration when experiencing a change in mood or energy. The following will give you some basic guidelines and information about sleep when determining whether or not sleep is an area of concern that may be impatiently your functioning.

Sleep Recommendations
Our sleep needs vary depending on several factors including age, genetic make up, amount of exercise, daily activities, and the quality of a person's sleep.

Here are some basic guidelines provided by helpguide.org:

Group of People		Amount of Sleep Recommended
Children		Ages 3 to 6 years: between 10 and 12 hours Ages 6 to 9 years: about 10 hours Ages 9 to 12 years: about 9 hours
Teenagers		About 9 hours per night. Teens have trouble getting enough sleep not only because of their busy schedules, but also because they are biologically programmed to want to stay up later and sleep in the morning, which usually doesn't mesh with school schedules.
Adults		For most adults, 7 to 8 hours a night appears to be the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as 5 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each night.
Older Adults		Current thought is that older adults need as much, if not more, sleep than middle-aged adults. Taking a midday nap may help.

Signs of Sleep Deprivation
According to helpguide.org, signs of sleep deprivation include the following:

• difficulty waking up in the morning
• lack of concentration
• falling asleep during work or class
• feelings of moodiness, irritability, depression, or anxiety

Negative Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Some of the physical and mental effects of sleep deprivation stated by helpguide.org may include:

• Poor decision-making, poor judgment, increased risk-taking
• Poor performance in school, on the job, and in sports
• Impaired driving performance and more car accidents
• Increased incidence of obesity, diabetes, illness in general, high blood pressure, and heart disease
• Impaired memory, concentration, and ability to learn
• Physical impairment, poor coordination, delayed reaction time
• Anxiety, depression, and other emotional problems
• Magnification of the effects of alcohol on the body
• Exacerbation of the symptoms of ADHD, such as impulse control, irritability, and lack of concentration

Positive Effects of Sufficient Sleep

Helpguide.org states that sleep restores and rejuvenates the following body functions:

• Memory and learning---Sleep seems to organize memories, as well as help you to recover memories. After you learn something new, sleep may solidify the learning in your brain.
• Mood enhancement and social behaviors---The parts of the brain that control emotions, decision-making, and social interactions slow down dramatically during sleep, allowing optimal performance when away. REM sleep seems especially important for a good mood during the day. Tired people are often cranky and easily frustrated.
• Nervous system---Some sleep experts suggest that neurons used during the day repair themselves during sleep. When we experience sleep deprivation, neurons are unable to perform effectively, and the nervous system is impaired.
• Immune system---Without adequate sleep, the immune system becomes weak, and the body becomes more vulnerable to infection and disease.
• Growth and development---Growth hormones are released during sleep, and sleep is vital to proper physical and mental development.