Being a freshman and making the transition from high school and living at home to being independent and battling new college classes, can make one extremely tired. Nights when I have to stay up to 2am to finish a paper has made me realize I need to learn how to manage my time better, but also it makes me wish that I never had to sleep. That made me begin to wonder, why do we sleep?
One theory according to howstuffworks.com, is that it’s the only opportunity for our brains to store or discard memories, thoughts, or events we’ve experienced throughout that day. There was a study done on rats, and scientists were able to observe that the same neurons that fired when a rat was doing a task were fired when the rats were sleeping. Also, this would make sense with the fact that we sometimes wake up with a clearer head and outlook on things in our lives. This makes the expression “sleep on it” seem much more realistic.
My first thought as to why we sleep was that it would be a time for our bodies to rest; however, I read on howstuffworks.com that our bodies in general do not rest, but our brains rest. This could be another theory as to why we sleep -to give our brains a break. Personally, this theory makes the most sense to me because I know if I’m overly tired and still doing work, I start making silly mistakes because I feel as though my brain needs rest for a better performance.
Although scientists are not exactly sure as to why we need sleep, I know for a fact I’d be able to get SO much more done in a day if sleep wasn’t a thing; however, even though we don’t know the exact reason why we sleep, we know for a fact that it’s definitely good for our bodies and brains.
“HowStuffWorks “Why Do We Sleep?“” HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2014.
For the longest time, I’ve wished that I didn’t have to sleep and that I could do things 24 hours a day. Without having to sleep, one could accomplish much more in a day then they could normally. Obviously, sleep is necessary and it would be impossible to function without it. It is necessary for us to sleep as it allows us to turn shirt term memories into long term memories. Another compelling reason for why sleep is essential, is because it allows the brain to grow and develop. According to this Harvard study, http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/why-do-we-sleep, sleep plays a critical part for developing the brains of infants. This demonstrates that we sleep for a plethora of reasons, and that there are still numerous reasons for why we sleep out there that we have yet to discover.
Sleep seems to get more and more important as we get older. I know when I was little I never wanted to take naps ever because I was so happy and full of energy. Now, I can’t wait to squeeze an afternoon nap into my schedule. As we get older our problems and life trials become harder and harder as well. This might be the reason that we are so willingly to take naps as adults but not as kids. Our brains need the break from our constant worries of what is going on in our adult lives. I guess our parents were right when they said don’t be in a hurry to grow up.
I have always been the type of person that needs sleep or I cannot function. I came to college and my sleep pattern get very messed up. I stay up late at night, get up early for class, then sleep in the middle of the day to make up for lost sleep. I have this unhealthy pattern, and when I do not have time to nap, I feel exhausted and not in the mood to do anything! When I am well rested, I notice that I have a lot more energy and can perform better at the gym, on homework, and focusing in class. Sleep is definitely important to survival in college.
I have always been a bad sleeper. Every since middle school I have been the one in my family that could stay up the whole night, trying to sleep but incapable of actually falling asleep. Struggling with my sleep cycle has defiantly effected my body and brain function at times. Because of this, I have had to schedule a specific sleep cycle so that I am able to function during the day.
I agree that coming to college has quite literally been a wake up call. In high school, we would complain that 7:30 am was too early to be up for class. Now, an 8am class is basically a death wish. I don’t agree, however, that our brains necessarily stop working while we sleep. Undoubtedly, our brains are not processing every thought that comes into our heads when we’re sleeping, but our brains do remain busy with our dreams.
I Love sleeping!