Some Surprising Facts About Sleep: If You Don’t Sleep, It Could Be Fatal
Certainly, people with genetically unique DNA make it possible for them to only sleep an hour or only a few hours every night. Such people are rare, and even though they don’t sleep as much as the rest of us, they still need sleep. Nobody can live without sleep.
The longest anyone has been able to go without it, on record, is about a week and a half, 11 days. That’s not a lot! Human beings need their sleep, and they’re not alone. Rats, similarly, must have asleep. If they don’t get enough, they die. A study was done where all the sleep-deprived rats passed away very quickly when they didn’t get the necessary rest.
Though it is worth noting that the events which killed these rats weren’t directly related to sleep deprivation. Rather, they were a consequence of it.
The point is this: you need your sleep, and to get it, you may need to take measures for your own wellbeing and health. To help you make the best choices, we’ll explore some more surprising facts about sleep here.
Contents
People Sleep In Cycles
Most people sleep in little cycles that tend to last about ninety minutes. You average at least four of these a night, which equates to about six hours of sleep. These cycles range in length depending on the individual. Some people sleep longer than others, and they tend to have longer “cycles.”
Dreaming Primarily Transpires During REM Sleep
REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement. REM sleep is when you’re generally dreaming, though there is some debate over that; some scientists believe that dreams may take place despite reduced brain activity during deeper sleep cycles.
The reason this is posited has to do with the fact that brain activity is deficient when you’re not in REM sleep.
How You Sleep Can Hurt Your Back
Sleeping on your stomach is bad for your back. Sleeping on your back tends to be one of the healthiest, if not the healthiest, sleeping positions. However, some people can’t get comfortable that way.
Here’s a happy medium: sleep on your side with a pillow between your legs. This will keep your back from being strained by reducing the pull of your legs on your spine and pelvis.
Mattresses Exist For Any Sleeper
Some people must sleep on their back, others on their stomachs, others on their sides. If you’re unfamiliar with mattresses designed for side sleeping, do yourself a favor and check out this blog post by Health.
Not only are such mattresses available, but they’ve got several considerable and distinct benefits. Whatever kind of sleeper you are, there’s a mattress out there.
You Don’t Have To Sleep All At Once
It is possible to sleep in stages, never going to bed, but having little cat naps of about thirty minutes every several hours. Some people do this very successfully. However, deeper sleep is necessary for full rest. REM sleep is restful, but deep sleep happens for a reason. When you’re doing the “catnap” game, you’re probably not as healthy as you could be.
Facts About Sleep: Get A Good Night’s Sleep
Sleeping is necessary for overall health. Without enough sleep, you’re likely to expire. However, many people sleep differently. Also, you don’t have to sleep all at once. Find a mattress that fits your preferences, regardless of how much or how often you sleep. Try to avoid hurting your back with a pillow between the legs.
REM is when dreams happen, and people sleep in cycles. These are just a few interesting facts about sleep, but there’s an endless amount of data on the subject and whole divisions of educational pursuit seeking to understand how sleep works.
By no means is this piece of writing comprehensive—there’s too much data! Hopefully, though, it helped pique your curiosity and provided you more information on the subject than you had.
