WHY YOUR BODY NEEDS SLEEP.

THIS TOPIC HAS BECOME VERY NECESSARY IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT MANY PEOPLE TODAY COMPLAINED OF NOT BEEN ABLE TO SLEEP WELL.

Many people have great difficulty falling a sleep. Sometimes when I read some writings posted on STEEMIT by my Steemians friends, I read some complaining of not having a nough sleep. Complaint of not getting enough sleep is common this days.

Who Are Affected?
Doctors, police officers, fire fighters, truck drivers, workers on rotating shifts, mother's with young children, and Steemians who regularly stay awake chatting till midnight even till 1: 00 am, and many others are among those who are vulnerable to being robbed of sleep their body need. You will be interested to know that millions of people who experience the frustrations associated with lack of sleep are keenly interested in knowing how to get sound refreshing sleep.

THE ROLE OF SLEEP
Some people think sleep is simply a period of rest. But it is more than that. " Sleep is actually a complicated process of muscles tensing and relaxing, pulse and blood pressure rising and falling and the mind churning out it's own home movies," says The Toronto Star " When a person falls asleep", states The World Book Encyclopedia all activity decreases and muscles relax.

The heartbeat and breathing rate slow down. Although scientists, doctors, and researchers have studied sleep for many decades, basic mysteries remain about it's vital role. These investigators have not even discovered what sleep actually is or why we sleep. Says Dr. Elliott Philipson of the sleep research laboratory at Toronto's Queen Elizabeth Hospital: we don't know the critical biological events that occur in sleep that restore us.

During sleep, changes occur in the body that affect our Immune system. Body parts relax and get rest, counteracting the wear and tear of the day's activity. The general clean - up work carried on through the blood - stream operates efficiently, and the chemical balance is restored.

HOW MUCH SLEEP?
Most adults need seven or eight hours of sleep every night. Some require less, others more. There are some who say that they do reasonably well on four or five hours, though some of them may take naps during the day. Infants need much more sleep than adults.

Particularly when people get older, they may find they awaken several times during the night. Some may feel that this is a sign of onset of serious sleep problems. However, while older people may not have the same quality of sleep that they did when they were younger, experience have shown that waken up a few times during the night is not a cause for alarm. No matter what one's age is, though, one should not expect to have same soundness of sleep all night.

DANGERS FROM LACK OF SLEEP.
"Researchers are becoming increasingly concerned about the number of people who get far little sleep. Chronic lack of sleep, they warn, can have dire consequences both for ourselves and the people around us" reports The Toronto Star.

People deprived of sleep lose energy and become quick- tempered. And two days without sleep, a person finds that lengthy concentration becomes difficult. Many mistakes are made, especially in routine tasks, and attention slips at times. People who go without sleep for more than three days have great difficulty thinking, seeing, and hearing clearly. Some have periods of hallucinations, during which they see things that do not really exist", relates The World Book Encyclopedia.

Test have found that after four days of sleeplessness, a test subject could perform only a few routine tasks. Those tasks requiring attention or even minimum mental agility become unbearable.

GETTING A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP
Sleep specialists suggest the following for getting a good night's sleep. " Sleep in secure, quiet, dark surroundings and on a comfortable bed. Do not nap late in the day, even if you slept poorly the night before, try to stay awake and to go to bed at your usual time. Avoid caffeine before bedtime. Do not use the bed for reading or watching TV.

Additionally, avoid heavy exercise and large meals just before bedtime. Maintain regular sleeping hours, as will help the body acquire a constant sleep wake up rhythm. Get into the routine of winding down before you go to bed. Avoid doing things that may tend to get you wound up and wider awake. For example, avoid exciting movies, TV programs, or reading materials.

For some, taking a warm ( not hot ) bath or reading light material that is not stimulating is helpful. So may be sleeping - inducing help, such as warm milk, buttermilk, a little wine or herbal tea but not teas with caffeine.