The Surprising Importance of Sleep- insights from the book “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker

“The old maxim ‘I will sleep when I am dead’ is therefore unfortunate. Adopt this mindset and you will be dead sooner and the quality of that (shorter) life will be worse.”  Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep

In the world of science, numerous phenomena captivate us and often leave us in awe. Among them lies the enigmatic and peculiar phenomenon of sleep. As scientists delve into the reasons and various aspects of sleep, a myriad of surprising discoveries emerge, shedding light on the profound importance of sleep.

In this article, you will uncover the effects of sleep on our bodies and explore why sleep is beneficial for us. Additionally, you will encounter insights from the book “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience at the University of California.

Sleep has a positive effect on our mood:

Have you ever noticed that when you’re tired, you get easily irritated? Small things bother you a lot, and you feel like stopping everything. That’s because your body needs sleep.

Getting enough good sleep makes you feel better and helps you handle stress and anger. When you don’t sleep enough, your body gets stressed without you realizing it. So, your brain is already feeling uncomfortable, and any extra stress or small problems make you even more irritable.

“A structure located in the left and right side of the brain, called amygdala, a key hot spot for triggering strong emotions such as anger and rage, and linked to the fight-or-flight response, showed well over a 60 percent amplification in emotional reactivity in the participants who were sleep deprived. In contrast, the brain scans of those individuals who were given a full night’s sleep evinced a controlled, modest degree of reactivity in the amygdala.”  Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep

Relation between sleep and looks:

You may have heard of “Beauty Sleep.” It’s said that quality sleep makes you look beautiful. Neither completely right nor completely wrong, a study divided people into two groups: one received proper sleep, while the other stayed awake all night. Before and after pictures were shown to different people. Everyone agreed that the sleep-deprived individuals looked less active and less attractive. For some, this may be the most intriguing aspect of sleep.

If sleep deprivation is part of your life, dark circles and swollen eyes may become familiar. So, sleep doesn’t change your looks but helps you look your best.

Sleep can give you a stronger immune system:

Another crucial aspect of sleep is its relation to our immune system. During sleep, our body produces T cells, which protect us from pathogens such as bacteria and viruses that enter our body. Sleep also aids our immune system in remembering these pathogens. Consequently, if they invade again, our immune system will easily recognize them. This relationship between a good night’s sleep and the immune system is explained in “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker.

“A single night of four hours of sleep, such as going to bed at three a.m. and waking up at seven a.m., swept away 70 percent of the natural killer cells circulating in the immune system, relative to a full eight-hour night of sleep. That is a dramatic state of immune deficiency to find yourself facing, and it happens quickly, after essentially one bad night of sleep.”

Sleep helps you remember better:

As sleep significantly affects many body functions, it also plays a substantial role in our memory. Research suggests that overnight cramming does not necessarily improve memory retention; in fact, there’s a risk of forgetting what you’ve already learned. During sleep, our brain is highly active and converts short-term memories into long-term ones. This process involves the formation of new neural connections, facilitating memory consolidation. Matthew Walker discusses this aspect of sleep and memory consolidation in his book “Why We Sleep.”

“If you don’t sleep the very first night after learning, you lose the chance to consolidate those memories, even if you get lots of ‘catch-up’ sleep thereafter. In terms of memory, then, sleep is not like the bank. You cannot accumulate a debt and hope to pay it off at a later point in time. Sleep for memory consolidation is all-or-nothing event”.

Sleep and weight loss:

Sleep significantly impacts our body’s metabolism. Poor sleep disrupts our metabolic processes, increasing the risk of obesity in individuals who consistently struggle with inadequate sleep compared to those who enjoy quality rest each night.

“Too little sleeps swells concentration of the hormone that makes you feel hungry while suppressing a companion hormone that other wise signals food satisfaction. Despite being full you want to eat more.”  Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep

Sleep helps you focus and concentrate better:

When you’re tired, concentration and focus become challenging. Quality sleep enhances your ability to focus. During sleep, your brain integrates and processes information from the day, preparing itself for the next day. Consequently, after a restful night’s sleep, you wake up feeling alert and better able to concentrate and focus.

“Humans need more than 7 hours of sleep each night to maintain cognitive performance. After 10 days of just 7 hours of sleep, the brain is as dysfunctional as it would be after going without sleep for 24 hours.”  -Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep

Sleep and mental health:

During sleep, our brain executes specific tasks unique to this state. These processes occur exclusively during sleep, and any disruption due to sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality can significantly affect them. Sleep plays a crucial role in mental health, and conversely, mental health influences the quality of sleep.

Individuals experiencing stress, depression, or other mental conditions often encounter sleep problems. Conversely, those with inadequate sleep are more prone to experiencing heightened stress levels due to their brain being less active. If you observe someone who is sleep-deprived, you may notice they exhibit increased aggression and stress compared to others.

“The biggest bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep” –Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep

Sleep decreases the risk of diabetes:

Insulin is a hormone that regulates glucose levels in our blood. Studies have indicated that improper sleep reduces cell receptivity to insulin, leading to elevated glucose levels in the blood and potentially resulting in type 2 diabetes.

Matthew Walker further elaborates on an experiment wherein participants experienced sleep deprivation, affecting their cells’ responsiveness to insulin.

“After participants had been restricted to four to five hours of sleep for a week, the cells of these tired individuals had become far less receptive to insulin.”  Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep

He also said that,

“Inadequate sleep, even moderate reduction for just one week, disrupts blood sugar levels so profoundly that you would be classified as pre-diabetic.”

Sleep also assists diabetic patients in better controlling their glucose levels.

Sleep decreases the risk of cancer:

Reducing the risk of cancer is another significant aspect of sleep. Since sleep influences numerous body functions and organs such as the immune system, brain, and hormones, it can impact cancer risk. Sleep deprivation may heighten the likelihood of developing cancer as it disrupts the body’s functions. Here’s what Matthew Walker discusses in his book.

“A number of prominent epidemological studies have reported that night time shift work, and the disruption to circadian rythyms and sleep that it causes, up your odds of developing numerous different forms of cancer.”

“Routinely sleeping less than six or seven hours a night demolishes your immune system, more than doubling your risk of cancer.”

Sleep and heart diseases:

Poor sleep can elevate the risk of heart diseases. Inadequate or low-quality sleep can raise blood pressure, potentially leading to various heart conditions. Therefore, quality sleep fosters better heart health.

“If you were one of the individuals who were obtaining just five to six hours of sleep each night or less, you were 200 to 300 pecent more likely to suffer calcification of your coronary arteries over the next five years, relative to those individuals sleeping seven to eight hours.”  Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep

Importance of sleep for teenagers and children:

Sleep plays a crucial role in the development of teenagers and children. During sleep, growth hormones are released, aiding in both mental and physical growth in children. In teenagers, various hormones are released to regulate puberty.

Importance of sleep for infants and toddlers:

During childhood, a child’s mind is highly active and rapidly absorbs new information. Adequate sleep is crucial for proper mental development during this stage. As we’ve observed, sleep significantly influences memory, concentration, activity levels, and learning ability. Therefore, a child’s mind relies on sleep to effectively perform these essential tasks.

Conclusion of the Book Why We Sleep:

You would have realized the importance of sleep by now. It is vital for every age group. Many different functions occur during sleep that are beneficial for us. But why aren’t these functions performed when we are awake? Why does our body need to be in a specific sleep condition for these functions? Although science has discovered a lot, there is still much to uncover. However, one thing is clear: sleep offers enormous benefits for our mind and body, so don’t forget to prioritize a good night’s sleep. Your body will thank you for it.

“We no longer have to ask what sleep is good for, instead we are now forced to wonder whether there are any biological functions that do not benefit by good night’s sleep, so far the results of thousands of studies consist of no.”  Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep