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Why do we sleep? Priyanwada Ranawaka finds out more about the human body's period of temporary shutting down

One of the funniest things about being alive is that you just have to sleep.
The jury is still out on the exact reason as to why we sleep but a widely held notion is that we need sleep to survive. It is somewhat responsible for our daily functioning as well as our health in general. But why do we sleep at night? According to medical experts, the reason for this goes back to pre-historic man who is supposed to have got used to sleeping at night, as an evolutionary response to the human being's vulnerability after dark.

To clear up the scientific necessities and consequences of sleep, here is a little bit about what happens in the nervous system that causes sleep. It is nerve-signalling chemicals that control whether we are asleep or awake by acting on different groups of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain. Sleep is needed for the nervous system in our body to function efficiently.

Growing need

For children, the process of sleeping is integral to the maturation process. A general practitioner and counsellor, Dr. P.D. Gunawardena believes that the release of growth hormones happens more in sleep. Another function of sleep is achieving memory. Studies have shown that the brain continues to organise and process memories during sleep, while the rest of the body shuts down to save energy.

One way to understand why we sleep is to see what happens when we don't get enough. "People differ in their need for sleep," says Dr. Gunawardena. Some people are accustomed to sleeping in short naps while others have a regular time to go to sleep and get up. "It depends on how you keep the inner clock ticking," says Dr. Gunawardena adding that every person has a personal internal clock that is trained to keep alarms of its own.

When asked why some people can fall asleep almost anywhere at any time of the day for as long as they want to, the doctor says that going to sleep is not just keeping your eyes closed. "Sleep should be sound, with no wrestling, nightmares or snoring," he explains. Sleepiness, he also stated, can be symptomatic of Anaemia. "The body is sluggish and the feeling of lethargy results in dozing off frequently."

Can't get any sleep? You are not alone. The doctor revealed, "More than quarter of the population finds it difficult to fall asleep." This state of lack of sleep, or insomnia has an effect on partners, families and work colleagues. Insomnia will disturb work or leisure activities as one would wake up feeling irritable. Accident statistics have shown that daytime sleepiness can double the chance of having an accident while operating machinery or driving a car. "Lack of sound sleep may affect the concentration of a person and attention span falls by the wayside," says Dr. Gunawardena.

Sleep for life

He went on to explain that an existence without sleep is unrealistic, as medical experiments have proven that rats in laboratories could not survive for more than three days without sleep. "Sleep gives the body a chance to repair its muscles and other tissues, while also replacing dead cells, which are essential for healthy living." Most of all, we know by experience that everything feels simply wonderful after a good night's sleep!

So, what's the problem? Why can't we just fall asleep? There is no single cause for insomnia but a number of factors are known to contribute. A lifestyle of eating late, consuming drugs and smoking could be contributing factors. Psychological causes such as stress and grief and mental health issues such as anxiety can also trigger insomnia. Certain medications can also put a person off sleep. "Some varieties of sleeping tablets too can be counter productive," says Dr. Gunawardena.

There's no need to despair, however. "There are a number of things that people can do to help themselves," explains the doctor. Referred to as "sleep hygiene", these steps include, most importantly, not taking catnaps during the day. "It is usually the case that humans sleep one whole session compared to the sleeping habits of some of the animals like dogs that prefer to sleep in short bursts," says Dr. Gunawardena. He says that most people today are fast moving away from this habit due to studies, work, or even entertainment, all of which are a part of the modern lifestyle, which is not quite healthy.

Getting back on track

Reduce one's intake of coffee, tea, or fizzy drinks, especially later on in the day, avoid heavy and rich meals, especially a few hours before bedtime and most of all, don't stay in bed thinking about how much sleep you are missing, reiterates the doctor.

Until you feel sleepy, get up and read in a dim light. Other activities that can create a relaxed mood include taking a warm bath, having a milky drink or listening to soothing music. "The basic thing is to relax your mind." Although the thought of counting sheep may be met with raised eyebrows, the doctor says that it might work out, as the mind is busy in contemplation. The body is already tired and soon the mind will follow, he says

The best option - have a regular time to sleep. Your brain should be trained to fall asleep and get up at a customary hour, in order to avoid sleeping problems, although trying a psychological 'trick' is also an option. Keep telling yourself that you must keep awake, and have faith in reverse psychology!

Nine hundred, nine hundred one, nine hundred two…
By Aaysha Cader
When was the last time you counted a hundred sheep to fall asleep? And everyone else around you thought you had to see a doctor about it, and you didn't see a doctor because you thought it was perfectly normal, but of course when you DID see the doctor, he said you had a serious form of sleeping disorder and ordered you some complex medication and a complete change of lifestyle (so you could have your stipulated hours of sleep).

Well, you're not the only one in turmoil when it comes to have to doze off, stay awake or wake up after a nice snooze. True enough, sleep is one of the most rewarding things in the world, and a good sound slumber is something nothing else can match up to. But then again, forty winks to me, is not forty winks to you.

The most common sleep ailment is probably insomnia. For those who can relate to the owl, sleeping at night is tough business. Counting sheep is useless, and you may as well stay awake and get something worthwhile done. "I'm much more active and vigilant in the night," says 22-year-old *Niluka, adding that it's perhaps because it's more quiet and conducive to working in solitude without disturbances.

If you have properly mastered the art of staying up and not feeling groggy the next morning, well, good for you. Some people have to make a concentrated effort to do so, especially to meet deadlines. For *Dinesh the key to staying up through the night (and remaining alert) is taking catnaps for about one or two hours. Explaining his catnap, he says, the sleeping position is important, so is your attire and lighting. (It's beginning to sound like a play, but then again catnapping is an 'art', remember?) For catnapping, lights must be turned on, you cannot be in pyjamas, and of course the sleeping position has to be odd enough to prevent you from settling into a deep slumber.

As for waking up after catnaps, Dinesh wakes up on his own, but an alarm clock is also an option. Personally, though, I think alarm clocks really are a useless invention. Maybe it works for a few who don't know how to enjoy being temporarily unconscious via sleep, but for the more enthusiastic and sound snoozer, it is nothing more than an object that makes some noise and is not sophisticated enough to put a hand out, scratch the sleeper, and wake him/her up, one way or the other.

Hopefully, alarm clocks will evolve into something like that in the future - at least for the benefit of some of us who have grown accustomed to 'wakers', those unfortunate souls burdened with the task of waking up those who cannot wake up on their own. And if you're the type who goes back to sleep when you're woken up well, too bad for the 'waker'.

*Dilushi, 19, is one of the luckier ones. "I wake up at 6.30 every morning, no matter what time I sleep," she says, and she doesn't need an alarm to wake her up, or fans to put her to sleep. Add to that her regular sleep hours, you could call her a very well programmed sleeper. She says that when she does stay awake, lost hours must be caught up.

Ever heard of anyone who never slept at all? Well, a colleague of mine is related to one of them. Now 25, he apparently started reducing his hours of sleep gradually, and now doesn't sleep at all. He also claims that it has had no impact on his health thus far. He gets more work done at night, and reading doesn't put him to sleep either. (I only needed to open up my social studies book to doze off.)

His theory is 'The more you think you need sleep, the more you want it'. And so, by not thinking of it, he has completely eradicated the necessity to slumber. A perfect specimen for sleep specialists to experiment with.

Some others don't have to be up to make the maximum use of time. *Haren is a self-proclaimed 'subconscious sleeper'. "I am often alert to what happens around me, waking up at the slightest noise," he says, adding "sometimes when I go to sleep with an idea, it develops during my sleep through a dream."

Not everyone is as lucky though. For 20-year-old *Shauna, it's a different story. "Each time I go to sleep with an idea, or after studying, I dream everything utterly mixed up and am even more confused the next day," she says. This is especially true of history, where people, places years and dates all get mixed up in sleep, and it doesn't help that you have an exam the next morning. The conclusion: If you're not a subconscious sleeper, don't go to sleep with an idea. Save it for the next day.

*Eshantha's job involves working through the night, and to catch up on lost sleep, he goes home and dozes off for hours. "Like about 14 hours at a stretch," he grins, adding that he also has no problem getting back to a normal routine. "A little extra sleep never killed anybody," he says.

But then, however normal you might think your sleep patterns are, someone will tell you that you are STILL sleeping wrong. The fact is, science likes to mess things up for everyone. So whether you sleep well or not, whether you catch up on lost sleep or just let it pile on until you fall sick, and regardless of what you're sleeping habits are, be prepared to be classified as someone with a weird sleeping pattern. Until that happens though, good luck with counting sheep!

* Names have been changed

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