3 Theories of sleep

Came upon an interesting article about sleep by Kendra Cherry of about.com Guide. It gave 3 explanations of sleep; its necessity, and the purpose of why one-third of our time are preoccupied in bed.

1) Repair and Restoration of sleep
This theory postulates that sleep is essential for revitalizing and restoring the physiological processes that maintains the health and function of the mind and body in check. It suggests that NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep is important for restoring physiological functions, while REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is essential in restoring mental functions.
During sleep, the body also increases its rate of cell division and protein synthesis, further suggesting that repair and restoration occurs during sleeping periods.

2) Evolutionary theory of sleep
The second theory suggests sleep as a means of conserving energy, a period of inactivity and calm. Contrast with activity, a period of wakefulness that would be the most hazardous. This theory is supported from comparative research of different animal species. Animals that have few natural predators, such as bears and lions, often sleep between 12 to 15 hours each day. On the other hand, animals that have many natural predators have only short periods of sleep, usually getting no more than 4 or 5 hours of sleep each day.

 3) Information Consolidation Theory of sleep
Based on cognitive research, this theory suggest that humans sleep in order to process information that has been acquired during the day. Moreover, it argues that zzz prepares the brain for the following day. Sleep is also an integration process of stuff we acquired during the day into long-term memory. Support for this idea stems from a number of sleep deprivation studied demonstrating that a lack of sleep has a serious impact on the ability to recall and remember information.

At the end of the article, Kendra wrote that while there is no crystallized, 'clear-cut' support for any one possible theory, each of these theories could be used to explain why we sleep.

How to sleep well by eating well

Erratic sleeping habits, unhealthy diets, and being a 24/7 couch potato all contributes to sleeplessness.In order to improve the quality of sleep, necessary lifestyle changes must take hold.

Here are some food products that can aid a goodnight sleep:

• Cherries (contain melatonin that could regulate sleep-wake cycles in human brain.)
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• Dark green leafy vegetables (contain folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and magnesium)
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• Maca (Peruvian Ginseng)
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• Milk (calcium and magnesium)

 And there are also food to avoid 3 hours prior to sleep:

• Food that contain caffeine, such as cocoa, colas, chocolate, coffee
• Spicy, Sweet and fatty food that might cause indigestion and bloating.

A little dreary titbits about myself....

Since my teenage years I have labelled myself a nocturnal creature. I would surf online and chat through the night, believing to be learning more and more by stretching the knock-off time further and further.

How dead wrong I was. I LEARN NOTHING AND FORGOT EVERYTHING >.<

Waking up to school the following morning required tremendous effort from me and tested my dad’s paternal persuasion to drag me out of bed. With my eyes still shut to a zip, I would brush teeth and wash face, then eat breakfast and drink coffee - extra dark coffee, to give myself a temporary suspension from kissing gravity. Kissing my dad goodbye (not literally), I journeyed midway to school before I realized

I FORGOT TO BRING MY CHINESE TEXTBOOK >.< *spank spank spank*

I cannot concentrate at school, the teachers were a terrible bore and their lessons a sore to doze in. Often I imagined myself watching some comedy skits playing in front, or my mind trailed off to some other pleasure pastures. I zombie-ed through my PE and CCAs, seldom interact with friends and classmates, because it would drain too much of my limited energy, and my battery always tinkling in the red. After school I would be the first one out, rushing home to sleep for the entire afternoon. Nevertheless, my studies plummeted from my lack of focus, and the epiphany came four years later when I receive the ultimate wake-up call: a O’level results of Bs, a C and a D, a melancholy realization that didn’t surprise me a jolt.

I AM STUPID >.< *duh*

I continued slugging through life, sometimes even thought that I possessed avoidant personality disorder or some other venal illness that clogged the bloodstream to my brain. I bore this belief like an insignia all the way until last Sunday night, when I finally decode the mystery of my fate, that all these things happen for a reason –

I DIDN’T SLEEP ENOUGH >.<!!!

So the tale of creating tis ‘sleep before 11pm’....