Try as you might, it is impossible to stay without sleep, sooner or later you will surely fall asleep. But why is sleep essential?
Several experiments have been carried out on laboratory rats, which have led to a conclusion: complete lack of sleep leads to death even faster than starvation. Insomnia can destroy the body and, after a certain point, it is practically impossible to avoid sleep.
If you are sleep deprived, you first become irritable and then forgetful. Without sleep it becomes increasingly difficult to concentrate, and the simplest task becomes impossible to complete, not to mention something more complex, like driving a car. Prolonged periods of sleep deprivation also lead to reduced immune system response, blood pressure fluctuations, and changes in metabolism.
However, the dream cannot be fully understood; There is no obvious chemical change, such as the build-up of carbon dioxide when we don’t breathe, to explain its effects. The body simply shuts down when we sleep, while the brain continues to function.
More than fifty years ago, scientists discovered two distinct brain stages during sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. While in REM sleep, obviously, the eyes move rapidly under the lids, during non-REM sleep, the brain appears to enter a slower state. Breathing and heartbeat remain regular and few dreams occur.
During REM sleep, the brain is very active and neurons seem to react almost as they do when they are awake, and dreams occur in this part of the cycle. When we dream, the parts of the brain that control the movement of the body operate almost as they do in the waking state; however, neurotransmitters that carry signals from the brain to the muscles are inhibited, except those related to eye movement.
Non-REM sleep is a period of lower metabolic rate and lower brain temperature. If neurotransmitters are turned off during REM sleep, but cells function normally, during non-REM sleep the brain can replenish the enzymes needed to function properly. Periods of REM sleep can be the time during which key links in neurons can be restored and, according to the researchers, these links control mood and learning. In addition, sleep is also necessary for the brain to organize the memories and data of the day and develop as the rest of the body is left out of the process.
Simply put, you really can’t stay without sleep. You can go without eating for a while, but total lack of sleep will definitely kill you. It needs sleep to function and survive, and without it, the brain cannot do anything. Although sometimes we wish the day had more hours and ignore sleep for other “more important” activities, lack of sleep will only make things worse.