edtechdev/chatbotfiles · Datasets at Hugging Face

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learned, and to have the energy to make the most of your college experience. It’s that simple.
10 https://news.gallup.com/poll/166553/less-recommended-amount-sleep.aspx
11 Cleveland Clinic, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/lack-sleep-make-crave-junk-food/

Access for free at openstax.org

11.2 • Sleep

What Happens When We Sleep?
Sleep is a time when our bodies are quite busy repairing and detoxifying. While we sleep we fix damaged
tissue, toxins are processed and eliminated, hormones essential for growth and appetite control are released
and restocked, and energy is restored. Sleep is essential for a healthy immune system. How many colds do you
catch a year? How often do you get the flu? If you are often sick, you do not have a healthy immune system,
and sleep deprivation may be a key culprit.
A review of hundreds of sleep studies concluded that most adults need around eight hours of sleep to
maintain good health. Some people may be able to function quite well on seven and others may need closer to
nine, but as a general rule, most people need a solid eight hours of sleep each night. And when it comes to
sleep, both quantity and quality are important.
When sleep is cut short, the body doesn’t have time to complete all the phases needed for the repair and
detoxification.
A tiny lobe called the pineal gland helps us fall asleep. The pineal gland secretes melatonin to calm the brain.
The pineal gland responds to darkness. If you are watching TV until the minute you go to bed and then sleep
with the artificial light from smartphones and other devices, your brain is tricked into thinking it is still
daylight; this makes it difficult for the pineal gland to do its job. In addition, if the TV shows you watch before
bed are violent or action-packed, your body will release cortisol (the stress hormone). Anything that creates
stress close to bedtime will make it more difficult to fall asleep. A bedtime practice of quiet activities like
reading, journaling, listening to music, or meditation will make it much easier to fall asleep.

What Happens If You Don’t Get Enough Sleep?
Lack of sleep has a big impact on your overall state of health and well-being. Studies have linked poor sleep to
a variety of health problems. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified sleep
deprivation as a public health epidemic.
A lack of sleep can change the way your genes express themselves. One notable study involved a group of
healthy adults limited to six hours of sleep for one week. Researchers then measured the change in gene
activity compared to the prior week when these same people were getting a full eight hours of sleep a night.
The lack of sleep caused the activity of 711 genes to become distorted. About half of the genes were switched
off by a lack of sleep, and these genes were associated with the immune system. The other half of the genes
experienced increased activity from a lack of sleep, and these were genes associated with the promotion of
12
tumors, genes associated with long-term chronic inflammation, and stress genes.

12 Archer, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23440187

343

344

11 • Engaging in a Healthy Lifestyle

Figure 11.5 The Effects of Sleep Deprivation This visual depicts many of the ways we are affected by insufficient sleep. (Credit:
Häggström, Mikael (2014). "Medical gallery of Mikael Häggström 2014". WikiJournal of Medicine. Public Domain.)

Some of the health risks of insufficient sleep include the following:
Increased risk of heart attack and stroke: In his book Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker, PhD, shares Japanese
research showing that male workers who average six hours of sleep or less are 400 to 500 percent more likely
to suffer one or more cardiac arrests than those getting more than six hours of sleep each night. Another
study of women between the ages of 20 and 79 found that those who had mild sleep disturbance such as
taking longer to fall asleep or waking up one or more times during the night were significantly more likely to
13
have high blood pressure than those who fell asleep quickly and slept soundly.
Impaired cognitive function: Even one night of sleeping less than six hours can impact your ability to think
clearly the next day.
Increased risk of accidents: Sleep deprivation slows your reaction time, which increases your risk of
accidents. You are three times more likely to be in a car crash if you are tired. According to the American Sleep
Foundation, 40 percent of people admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel at least once. A Governor’s
Highway Safety Association report estimates there are 6,400 fatal drowsy driving crashes each year. Fifty
14
percent of these crashes involve drivers under the age of 25.

Figure 11.6 Driving while drowsy puts you, your passengers, and many others in danger. (Credit: Modification of work by Governors
13 Matthew Walker, PhD Why We Sleep
14 Governors Highway Safety Association

Access for free at openstax.org

11.2 • Sleep

Highway Safety Association.)

Driving after 20 hours without sleep is the equivalent of driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08
percent—the U.S. legal limit for drunk driving.
Weight gain/increased risk for obesity: Sleep helps balance your appetite by regulating hormones that play
a role in helping you feel full after a meal. Also, cortisol is released during times of anxiety, and exhaustion
causes your body to produce more cortisol. This can stimulate your appetite.
Increased risk of cancer: Tumors grow up to three times faster in laboratory animals with severe sleep
dysfunctions. Researchers believe this is because of disrupted melatonin production, as melatonin has both
antioxidant and anticancer activity.
Increased emotional intensity: The part of the brain responsible for emotional reactions, your amygdala, can
be 60 percent more reactive when you've slept poorly, resulting in increased emotional intensity.
For more information on the advantages and health risks of sleep watch this TED Talk (https://openstax.org/l/
sleepsuperpower) by Matt Walker, PhD, Director of the Sleep Center at U California Berkeley.

Tips to Improve the Quality of Your Sleep
Now that you are more aware of the ways insufficient sleep harms your body, let’s review some of the things
you can do to enhance your sleep.
Make sleep a priority.
It can be challenging in college, but try to get on a schedule where you sleep and wake at the same time every
day to get your body accustomed to a routine. This will help your body get into a sleep rhythm and make it
easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning.
Sleep in a cool, quiet, dark room.

learned, and to have the energy to make the most of your college experience. It’s that simple.

10 https://news.gallup.com/poll/166553/less-recommended-amount-sleep.aspx

11 Cleveland Clinic, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/lack-sleep-make-crave-junk-food/

Access for free at openstax.org

11.2 • Sleep

What Happens When We Sleep?

Sleep is a time when our bodies are quite busy repairing and detoxifying. While we sleep we fix damaged

tissue, toxins are processed and eliminated, hormones essential for growth and appetite control are released

and restocked, and energy is restored. Sleep is essential for a healthy immune system. How many colds do you

catch a year? How often do you get the flu? If you are often sick, you do not have a healthy immune system,

and sleep deprivation may be a key culprit.

A review of hundreds of sleep studies concluded that most adults need around eight hours of sleep to

maintain good health. Some people may be able to function quite well on seven and others may need closer to

nine, but as a general rule, most people need a solid eight hours of sleep each night. And when it comes to

sleep, both quantity and quality are important.

When sleep is cut short, the body doesn’t have time to complete all the phases needed for the repair and

detoxification.

A tiny lobe called the pineal gland helps us fall asleep. The pineal gland secretes melatonin to calm the brain.

The pineal gland responds to darkness. If you are watching TV until the minute you go to bed and then sleep

with the artificial light from smartphones and other devices, your brain is tricked into thinking it is still

daylight; this makes it difficult for the pineal gland to do its job. In addition, if the TV shows you watch before

bed are violent or action-packed, your body will release cortisol (the stress hormone). Anything that creates

stress close to bedtime will make it more difficult to fall asleep. A bedtime practice of quiet activities like

reading, journaling, listening to music, or meditation will make it much easier to fall asleep.

What Happens If You Don’t Get Enough Sleep?

Lack of sleep has a big impact on your overall state of health and well-being. Studies have linked poor sleep to

a variety of health problems. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified sleep

deprivation as a public health epidemic.

A lack of sleep can change the way your genes express themselves. One notable study involved a group of

healthy adults limited to six hours of sleep for one week. Researchers then measured the change in gene

activity compared to the prior week when these same people were getting a full eight hours of sleep a night.

The lack of sleep caused the activity of 711 genes to become distorted. About half of the genes were switched

off by a lack of sleep, and these genes were associated with the immune system. The other half of the genes

experienced increased activity from a lack of sleep, and these were genes associated with the promotion of

12

tumors, genes associated with long-term chronic inflammation, and stress genes.

12 Archer, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23440187

343

344

11 • Engaging in a Healthy Lifestyle

Figure 11.5 The Effects of Sleep Deprivation This visual depicts many of the ways we are affected by insufficient sleep. (Credit:

Häggström, Mikael (2014). "Medical gallery of Mikael Häggström 2014". WikiJournal of Medicine. Public Domain.)

Some of the health risks of insufficient sleep include the following:

Increased risk of heart attack and stroke: In his book Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker, PhD, shares Japanese

research showing that male workers who average six hours of sleep or less are 400 to 500 percent more likely

to suffer one or more cardiac arrests than those getting more than six hours of sleep each night. Another

study of women between the ages of 20 and 79 found that those who had mild sleep disturbance such as

taking longer to fall asleep or waking up one or more times during the night were significantly more likely to

13

have high blood pressure than those who fell asleep quickly and slept soundly.

Impaired cognitive function: Even one night of sleeping less than six hours can impact your ability to think

clearly the next day.

Increased risk of accidents: Sleep deprivation slows your reaction time, which increases your risk of

accidents. You are three times more likely to be in a car crash if you are tired. According to the American Sleep

Foundation, 40 percent of people admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel at least once. A Governor’s

Highway Safety Association report estimates there are 6,400 fatal drowsy driving crashes each year. Fifty

14

percent of these crashes involve drivers under the age of 25.

Figure 11.6 Driving while drowsy puts you, your passengers, and many others in danger. (Credit: Modification of work by Governors

13 Matthew Walker, PhD Why We Sleep

14 Governors Highway Safety Association

Access for free at openstax.org

11.2 • Sleep

Highway Safety Association.)

Driving after 20 hours without sleep is the equivalent of driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08

percent—the U.S. legal limit for drunk driving.

Weight gain/increased risk for obesity: Sleep helps balance your appetite by regulating hormones that play

a role in helping you feel full after a meal. Also, cortisol is released during times of anxiety, and exhaustion

causes your body to produce more cortisol. This can stimulate your appetite.

Increased risk of cancer: Tumors grow up to three times faster in laboratory animals with severe sleep

dysfunctions. Researchers believe this is because of disrupted melatonin production, as melatonin has both

antioxidant and anticancer activity.

Increased emotional intensity: The part of the brain responsible for emotional reactions, your amygdala, can

be 60 percent more reactive when you've slept poorly, resulting in increased emotional intensity.

For more information on the advantages and health risks of sleep watch this TED Talk (https://openstax.org/l/

sleepsuperpower) by Matt Walker, PhD, Director of the Sleep Center at U California Berkeley.

Tips to Improve the Quality of Your Sleep

Now that you are more aware of the ways insufficient sleep harms your body, let’s review some of the things

you can do to enhance your sleep.

Make sleep a priority.

It can be challenging in college, but try to get on a schedule where you sleep and wake at the same time every

day to get your body accustomed to a routine. This will help your body get into a sleep rhythm and make it

easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning.

Sleep in a cool, quiet, dark room.