Why Do We Sleep? Essay Example

Why do you think we sleep?

Sleep is considered compulsory rather than optional phenomena in the life of human beings. Sleep exists in the lives of all mammals including the birds and reptiles. Any mammal deprived off sleep is likely to suffer thus being denied sleep is a ruthless act of torture. However, the primary purpose of sleep to humanity and animal kingdom remains debatable. There are contradicting theories in regards to stages involved in the sleeping process. For instance, a study conducted revealed that people who are denied of sleep during the second phase of their sleep are likely to underperform when given a task. It also goes further and states that, depriving of sleep the whole night has a much serious effect.

Sleep can be somehow considered a way of refreshing the mind. A quality sleep at night is remarkably beneficial to the brain. Researchers have not yet come up with an agreement as to the exact form of benefit. One theory (Repair and Restoration) suggests that sleep gives the brain an opportunity to review and consolidate all the information gathered during a certain period. Evolutionary Theory of Sleep postulates that we sleep so that the brain can refuel and discharge all the wastes. A third theory known as adaptive theory holds on to the belief that sleeps helps people to stay away from trouble hence pivotal in adaptation to the environment.

Why do you think dogs sleep 20+ hours a day?

We sleep for fewer hours as compared to dogs. During sleep, dogs stay awake more often than human beings do. A dog will sleep according to the activities it is involved within its environment. A pet dog at home will obviously sleep for more hours than a dog that works to earn a living like a rescue dog. Dogs have the ability to adjust to any sleeping pattern. With this, dogs can stay awake when they have work to do and spend the rest of the time sleeping. Nowadays dogs have been modernized in such a way that when they are bored they sleep.

Why babies sleep 14 hours a day

The sleeping patterns of babies vary, different babies have different hours they spend sleeping. Others sleep for long while others do not. Whatever the pattern, sleep is decidedly vital to the health of a child. It contributes to a child’s wellbeing justifying the need for children to sleep for longer hours. Once a child is born, he develops a sleeping habit. Those children who fail to get quality sleep may experience problems getting through a single day. Then, the baby will not easily settle at night.

Newborn babies sleep for an average of 14 hours. They do not sleep for fourteen hours continuously because they wake up at short intervals either to eat something or stretch. After these brief breaks, they then go back to sleep. As the baby continues to grow, the breaks reduce and they start sleeping for much longer periods. When a baby is experiencing poor sleeping habits, he should be taken to a specialist to identify the problem. Other parents do not feed their babies well, and this may interfere with the baby’s sleep. When a baby’s sleep is interrupted frequently, it will have a negative effect on their growth and development.

Why humans sleep 8 hours a day

The way we think is significantly influenced by sleep. A brain that has been deprived of sleep is said to be overstretching. In such a situation, we can work but prone more errors. Sleep also affects one’s physique. Lack of sleep reduces the rate at which we co-ordinate things. When we sleep, the tone of our muscles improves, and the appearance of our skin improves. Good sleep makes athletes perform better. The estimated amount of sleep required by an individual is eight hours. However, different people require different lengths of sleep time.

The theory behind the eight hours sleep by humans has never been clear. No one knows how it evolved and humans beings started sleeping for eight hours a night. This is the best range of sleeping hours although other people sleep for less or even more hours than this. Essentially, people who sleep less than six hours or more than nine hours were at a high risk of developing diabetes as compared to those sleeping for 7-8 hours.

Why horses sleep for only 1 hour a day?

Horses have been restless animals for a long time. Long ago, horses were not domestic animals and they spent most their time wandering in the bushes in pursuit of quality grass and water. This made them spend most of their time grazing thus they were always on the move. Because it was not a domestic animal, he had to defend himself against predators. This makes the horse an alert and attentive animal. Although horses have become domestic animals, they still sleep for a limited number of hours. The horse does not sleep continuously, but rather in small snatches. He cannot spend more than 45 minutes sleeping on the floor. Most of his sleep is while standing.