Power of Sleep
I got some information back on a discussion the other day that I thought I would share with everyone. I was providing some information on my diagnosis, what numbers meant, etc to a friend who is a professor at my Alma mater Jamestown College. Dr. Dana Wallace, Ph.D., was kind enough to send back some information in return. (I had given her some stats on my REM sleep from my sleep study and said I knew it there was more in depth information, but didn’t have that at hand.)
Here is what she sent back:
Of special interest is the decreased REM sleep. Below I’ve attached some information on the power of sleep
- Sleep Keeps Us Safe
- Predators sleep more than prey
- Sleep Restores Our Bodies
- Growth hormone (GH) (this is watch helps you grow as a kid, build muscle mass, and helps your immune system)
- Compromise between amount of energy collected and expended
- More energy spent = more sleep
- Sleep Helps Us Remember
- Active role in consolidation of memories
- Benefits of NREM Sleep
- Restorative function of sleep
- Benefits of REM Sleep
- Increases after learning has taken place
- Role in brain development
- REM rebound (basically means elevated mood once you start catching up on REM sleep)
You also will probably notice less muscle aches and joints pain as that is a common complaint with less Stage 4 non-REM sleep. You also probably saw losses in your concentration, motivation levels, and perception abilities prior to treatment. I would say that the biggest health risks would boil down to the decreased immune system functioning. The minute you start messing with immune balance that increases heart disease risk factors.