Interesting facts about sleep

The essential function of sleep is to provide rest for the entire organism. Sleep results in decreased perception of the surrounding environment giving your body a much needed rest.

The several recent studies have confirmed the relation between the sleep deprivation and gaining weight. One of the main reasons for this is that less sleep means we burn off fewer calories.

The recent research by the Uppsala University has showed that the lack of sleep makes your brain feel hungry by activating person's appetite sensation which can lead to overweight and obesity problems later on.

Insufficient sleep is a growing problem in modern society. Our modern way of life is often connected with inadequate sleeping habits which are anything but good for our health.

People should sleep about eight hours every night in order to give their body the rest it needs. U.S. federal guidelines currently prescribe 9 hours of sleep to high school students. According to a 2012 study published in the Eastern Economics Journal, the right amount of sleep decreases with age (for instance 10 year olds need more than 9 hours of sleep while 16 year olds are optimal with 7 hours of sleep).

The lack of sleep can even lead to memory problems later in life and can even result in early Alzheimer's disease.

According to a Michigan State University study people are able to learn while they are sleeping. This refers to an unconscious and separate form of memory, distinct from traditional memory systems. The scientists have discovered that our brain is processing information while we are sleeping without us being aware of this and that this ability may contribute to improved memory in a waking state.

In the United States 18% of adults are estimated to get less than 6 hours of sleep. This is more than 50 million people that suffer from sleep deprivation.

The lack of sleep has been also connected with increased blood pressure.

Sleep loss adds a similar response from our body like during the exposure to stress, resulting in a larger number of white blood cells. Good night sleep therefore helps sustain the proper functioning of the immune system

According to a 2011 study by Spanish scientists the teenagers with an average amount of nightly sleep score higher on mathematics compared to those who slept shorter.

If you're frequently getting less than 6 hours of sleep per day, you're significantly increasing risk for stroke.

Exercise is one of the vital factors contributing to a good night sleep. According to a 2011 Oregon State University study the quality of sleep increases considerably for people if they get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week.

It has been estimated that around 35 to 40 percent of the U.S. adult population suffers from sleep disorder.

The intensive use of mobile phones often leads to sleep disturbances in young people.

About 3.6 percent of US adults are prone to sleepwalking.

According to a 2011 Kessler study insomnia costs US workforce $63.2 billion a year in lost productivity.