Sleeping Beauty: What You Should Know About Kleine Levin Syndrome
Sleep is a physical and mental resting state that makes people unaware of their environment. It is when the senses and motor activity of the body suspends for a certain period. Sleep is also a period when the body produces new bone, muscular and nervous tissue called an anabolic state. A normal sleep decreases the body temperature, blood pressure, breathing rate, and other body functions. The brain, however, do not decrease any activity during sleep. According to experts, there are people who experience Kleine Levin Syndrome or most commonly called as oversleeping.
There are two cycles of sleep: NREM (non-rapid eye movement) and REM (rapid eye movement).
Non-Rapid Eye Movement or NREM sleep is a stage where the heart and breathing rates are slow. It consists of four stages that range from light to deep sleep. In this state of sleep, the muscles are still functioning and there is minimal brain activity. Around seventy-five percent of people sleep on this cycle.
Rapid Eye Movement occupies about twenty percent of sleep. Most dreams happen in this stage. A person might experience eyelid flickering, muscle paralysis, and irregular breathing, change in body temperature, faster heart rate and blood pressure during their sleep. Most people call it “paradoxical" sleep because the activity of the brain is same when a person is awake. This stage blocks brain signals to the muscles to avoid the body from doing the same thing they experience in the dream.
Sleep requirements differ from age, lifestyle, routine and general state of health. Newborn babies need up to eighteen hours of sleep. Experts recommend fourteen to eighteen hours of sleep for babies around one to twelve months. For toddlers or little children, sleep should be at least eleven to fifteen hours. Teenagers should at least have nine to ten hours to have enough energy. Adults, who are busy with work or school, should at least have seven hours of sleep. Pregnant women should also take notice of their sleeping patterns because they need to have eight hours to remain healthy.
People need to sleep in order to repair the necessary biological functions of the body. It is important to the physical and emotional well-being of the human body. Research shows lack of sleep causes a person to perform fewer tasks. They may experience irritability, drowsiness, mood swings, hallucinations and lack of concentration. Sleep deprivation may also weaken the immune system, making the body exposed to harmful diseases. Sleep allows the mind and body to recharge and restore energy. It helps the mind organize long-term memory, incorporate new information and repair tissues, nerve cells and other biochemical needs of the body.
Sleeping is not a waste of time. It is, in fact, an essential part of the human body's routine. If you have sleeping disorders, you can ask experts to provide assistance. These experts can provide remedies, such as food and supplements that helps you sleep. There are people who actually prefer sleeping naked because it is more comfortable. Just make sure to lock your door when you do this.