Sleep Why do we do it?

Introduction
Its 7:00 a.m. and my house is very quiet. I can hear only the low hum of my laptop
and the buzz of a distant baby monitor. I rarely get to see my house like this. Why is
it so quiet? Everyone and everything is asleep. My wife and three young children are
asleep. My PlayStation and my Apple TV are even asleep, functioning in a very lower
power mode. All of them are able to be woken up, brought back to life, with a gentle
shake or the touch of a button. What a strange thingsleep. Every person does it,
every animal does it, most plants do it to some degree, and even many of the
things that man has created do it. Why do we do sleep? Id like to look at a few
reasons why we all, here on earth, sleep and what can happen if we dont.

Literature Review
Everybody else is doing it. Sleep comes naturally, for the most part, to all
animals on the planet earth. Different species need different amounts of sleep, but
all need at least some sleep. Scientists have even traced connections between the
sleep cycles of plants and people (Craik 2015). This suggests that even plants sleep.
It almost appears as though the planet itself sleeps and awakes with the setting and
rising of the sun.
Although we dont know all the exact reasons why we need sleep, we do
know that the human body needs sleep. It would seem like a foolish evolutionary
investment unless it were it totally necessary. Why would an evolving species hold
onto sleep, an act that leaves us totally vulnerable to predators and all possible
harm-doers? It must be essential to the life of the human body.

We owe all life to the sun. It creates and maintains life. Perhaps we can tie
our need for sleep to the sun. Just as a sunflower tilts its blossom and follows the
sun as it moves, perhaps our bodies are also dependent upon the light and dark
cycles of the sun. Doctors always emphasized that sleep should follow the natural
rhythms of night and day: We must follow the course of Nature, that is, to wake in
the day, and sleep in the night. Sunrise was thought to trigger a chain of irresistible
events in the sleeper's body, opening the pores and causing spirits to spring
outwards from the inward organs. Conversely the setting sun heralded the body's
own descent, as heat and blood retreated to 'the inmost parts of the body'. Nighttime therefore seemed to take place both inside and outside the sleeper, the body's
own 'rising' and 'setting' echoing events in the cosmos. To confound this natural
rhythm by over- or under-sleeping was to resist the natural order of things, 'so that
there is made as it were a fight and combat with Nature to the ruine of the body'
(Craik, 2015 Para.4).
The natural need for sleep can be seen in the adverse effects of sleep
deprivation. It does not take long for our brains and bodies to misfire if we are not
providing our engines with adequate sleep. Eyes become dry and bloodshot,
muscles become weak, joints become stiff, and the mind does not process at top
speed. Our brains can become so tired that they begin to malfunction. After 3 days
without sleep, hallucinations can occur (Derickson 2013). Studies have shown the
positive effects that sleep can provide to our bodies. Sleep is also a time of repair
and growth, and some tissues, e.g., epithelium, proliferate more rapidly during
sleep. Sleep also aids in the strengthening of memories, and researchers have
discovered that an increased circulation of fluids in the brain during sleep removes
waste products from the brain (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia 2015).

Application
I can confidently argue that everyone that has ever lived has at least gone through
one night with little to no sleep. We have all felt the effects of sleep deprivation,
some of us more than others. We have all grasped for a pick-me-up in the morning,
such as a Coke or a Coffee. I hope that we have all felt the positive effects of a good
nights sleep. Perhaps after a very long day of physical labor, right after receiving a
massage, or spending a day at the beach. Those that suffer from a sleep disorder
may never have experienced such a night. A friend of mine suffers from insomnia, a
sleep disorder in which the person suffering from it has difficulty falling and staying
asleep. There are many negative effects of the disorder:

Physical body and appearance His eyes are chronically dry and often
bloodshot. There are dark rings around his eyes. Most days he can be seen
wearing a hoodie with his face shadowed from the bright light which can
irritate his already sore eyes and head. Because he avoids the light, his skin
is pale. He is often slumped in his chair, laying on his face at the lunch table,
or sulking slowly through the halls of the office. Sports do not appeal to him,
because he is often found without adequate energy to keep up, so he plays
video games. Video games can be addictive and can be a go-to hobby when
you cant sleep at night. The bright lights and flashes from the video games

can perpetuate a lack of sleep by inhibiting the production of melatonin.

Drugs and Supplements My friend likes to avoid sleeping pills if at all
possible but he does take them when needed. The sleeping pills have an
effect on him the following day which requires him to use caffeine and energy
drinks to fulfill his responsibilities. Not the smartest choice in my opinion, but
for him, they work.

Social problems He tries to put on a good face, but with a tired body and
brain, it is hard to do. Others often ask him, Whats wrong or say things like
Wow, you look tired. He is late to work on many occasions and he has even
been written up for being drowsy on the job.

Conclusion
Although all the reasons for sleep are not known to us at this time, it is clear that is
indeed a need for all animal life on the planet earth. Sleep, and the lack thereof,
have a significant psychological effect on our bodies, and in particular, our brains.
As we see all of nature and even the planet itself, sleep, it seems that sleep is a
natural process for us all. Many suffer from insufficient sleep already, and many
more, due to the overuse of electronic devices, are creating poor sleep habits. We
all need sufficient sleep to recharge and reset our brain and body.

References
Craik, Katharine A. (2015). Sleep, sweet deceiving. History Today, 00182753,
Volume 65, Issue 5.
Derickson, Alan (2013). No Such Thing as a Nights Sleep: The Embattled Sleep of
American Fighting Men from World War II to Present. Journal of Social History,
Volume 47.
Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia (2015). Sleep, 6th Edition.