Recently, there has been an increased focus on the concept of sleep. Sleep experts, sleep clinics, and sleep coaches are concepts we encounter more and more often. Sleep is a natural part of our lives, and the majority take sleep for granted. We all sleep – some more than others. But do we sleep well enough?
Sleep is a physiological necessity for human beings, and it is vital for the body's recovery. To deny a person's sleep is defined as torture, and has been used as such since the Middle Ages. Sleep is essential for human existence.
Sleep deprivation can physiologically affect the immune system and cognitive functions, such as memory and learning. Mood is frequently affected by the lack of sleep or poor sleep, while the focusing capacity and general performance can also be negatively influenced. We have been aware of these issues for several years, but the concept of sleep quality is relatively new.
The need for sleep is individual and changes with age. Young children need a lot of sleep, while the need for sleep decreases with age. However, the amount of sleep is not the most important. Studies have shown that sleep quality is of greatest importance for our health, and that it is directly linked to the development of a number of diseases.
Recent research suggests that the lack of sleep or poor quality sleep are associated with the development of Alzheimer disease.Research shows that there is a link between the body’s metabolism and sleep, and studies suggest that there is a connection between sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality and the development of diabetes and obesity. There is a lot of interesting ongoing research, and the results will challenge in many ways our approach to sleep.
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