Sleep And Sleep: The Importance Of Sleep

Shanel Garber

Literature Review

Dr. Shijian Li

Senior Seminar

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines sleep as the natural periodic suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored (sleep. 2016. In Merriam-Webster.com.). Sleep is an essential biological function with major roles in recovery, energy conservation, and survival. Sleep also appears to be important for vital function such as neural development, learning, memory, emotional regulation, cardiovascular and metabolic function, and cellular toxin removal. Sleep is universally experienced as a state of unawareness. It has been said that we spend approximately one third of our lives asleep. Rat studies have been conducted where total sleep deprivation leads to

A sleep with good duration but totally interrupted is never a healthy sleep. Healthy sleep habits can be defined in a number of ways. For example, Peters, Joireman, and Ridgeway (2005) have described “sleep patterns” in terms of four different factors: “self-rated satisfaction with sleep”, “sleeping during the day”, “difficulty sleeping at night”, and “oversleeping”. There are also two stages of sleep. Rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. REM sleep is associated with dreaming while NREM sleep is non-dreaming and has further sub stages. Both stages are necessary for brain learning and memory (Iqra, Asad, Tayyab, Abdullah, Rumsha, Marium, Fahad). Previous studies have narrowed the dependence of learning consolidation to the rapid eye movement stage of sleep, when most dreaming occurs. De Koninck and Associates reported that students who demonstrated a significant increase in REM sleep following an intensive learning period performed significantly better on examinations. The connection between REM sleep and learning is of particular importance for those students who consistently receive less than eight hours of sleep. They miss some of the last two hours of REM sleep. Those two hours tend to be the most important for integrating new information. Therefore, students who do most of their studying during the night before tests

The college experience is of great value in providing emerging adults with a structured environment in which they can gain the knowledge, skills, and independence to chart their own path, become successfully employed, and contribute to society. However, this experience comes at great cost. A potential obstacle to maximizing success in college is the high prevalence of sleep deprivation, and irregular sleep patterns. Buboltz, Brown, and Soper (2001) reported that 15% of college students are unsatisfied with their quality of sleep. Many factors may contribute to the disturbances of sleep habits in college students. Late night studying, all-nighters, parties, social obligations, work, and alcohol and/or drug abuse all likely play a role. Research has indicated that students’ poor sleep patterns is linked to increased tension, irritability, depression, confusion, and generally lower life satisfaction (Pilcher, Ginter, Sadowsky 1997). Students who sleep eight hours nightly but shift their sleep wake cycle by two hours experience increased feelings of depression, reduced affability, and difficulty in concentrating (Taub, Berger 1974). Students who regularly sleep later on the weekend than they do during the week do not adjust to the changed schedule but they develop chronic psychomotor slowing concentration problems, they also experience increased irritability