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Ryan Blaine
Karen Tucker
ENC 2135
18 July 2016

Why do People Sleep?

Sleep is one of the basic needs for proper function in most animals - humans
especially - along with the need for water and food. Almost every individual knows this
fact. But without it, or even too much of it, the effects on the human body can be severe,
even fatal in some cases. Researchers from the University of Warwick, and University
College London, have found that lack of sleep can more than double the risk of death
from cardiovascular disease. But why is sleep a phenomenon?
Up until roughly 60 years ago, sleep was thought to be passive, and not an active
part in an individuals daily life. As research has progressed, and technology
advancements, brain activity can be measured during sleep today. Now why do people
sleep? People sleep for a variety of reasons, including the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus,
circadian rhythms, neurotransmitters, endocrine signals, along with sleep being necessary
for the human immune, circulatory, and nervous systems to work properly (Brain
Basics). In addition to sleep being necessary for the systems of the body to function
properly, while humans sleep, growth hormone is released. This is especially great for
adolescents and any individual that participates in the realm of fitness.
Individuals that partake in the realm of fitness have all heard the stories and myths
about the connection between sleep and muscular growth and recovery. Deep sleep

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coincides with the release of growth hormone(Brain Basics). Seems that these
stories and myths have some truth to them. Sleep is essential for the cellular, organic,
and systemic functions of an organism, with its absence being potentially harmful to
health (Dattilo et al. 220). Needless to say, any individual would literally fall apart
and potentially die, and potentially dying is not a fun term to hear or read. In a serious
athlete in the realm of fitness, body image and performance are vital, and while it is not
impossible to be efficient at a higher body composition, most of the time, a leaner
physique tends to be the most efficient. Most studies performed from a metabolic view,
taking sleep away has tended to show an increase in fat percentage increases, therefore
taking away from an athletes efficiency and in turn, power output and performance
(Dattilo et al. 220). Not only are metabolic changes in full effect when sleep is deprived,
but so are hormonal changes. Two of the most distinct changes are in increases in the
secretion of catabolic hormones, such as cortisol and changes in the pattern of rhythmic
secretion of anabolic hormones such as testosterone (Dattilo et al. 221). Testosterone
being one of the key hormones directly related to muscle growth and recovery.
Another one of those large reasons why people sleep is due to Circadian rhythms.
Circadian rhythms have three key functions; those being persisting free-running
rhythm, temperature compensation, and entrainment (Hirschie-Johnson, Elliot, Foster
742). The presumed Key Function of circadian clocks is to tell time, or to put it
another way, to provide an internal estimate of external environmental time (HirschieJohnson, Elliot, Foster 742). This presumption is wildly incorrect; the biological clock in
the human body is the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. Most people think that Suprachiasmatic
Nucleus and Circadian rhythms are one in the same. They most definitely are not.

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Circadian rhythms are known to usually be minor or regular changes in physical and
mental characteristics that transpire through the day (Brain Basics). To break it down
even further, circadian Rhythms are basically any process that an organism goes through
to acclimate itself to the environment. Circadian Rhythms use zeitgebers to entrain or
acclimate. Any environmental stimulus that can act to entrain circadian clocks is
called a zeitgeber, from the German term for time giver (Hirschie-Johnson, Elliot,
Foster 742). Along with that information, the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus controls most
Circadian rhythms, and these two pinhead-sized structures located in the brain contain
around 20,000 or so neurons (Brain Basics).
The Suprachaismatic Nucleus is entrained and directly correlated to the Earths
rotation, which is 23 hours and 56 minutes for a full rotation (Peters). Brandon Peters,
MD, states that the SN [for short] is located in the frontal part of an individuals brain,
more specifically, the hypothalamus. As stated previously, the SN controls Circadian
Rhythms and it lies in a shallow impression of the optic chiasm, where the nerves
extending from each eye to the brain cross (Peters) and because of this, it is sensitive
and influenced by the external stimulus of light. Light is the most widely known external
stimuli other than touch, but light is the stimuli that controls and helps to entrain the SN
and is detected by receptors called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion
cells (Peters). Mumbo-jumbo science talk aside, the SN is influenced by light, and
predicts when the sun goes down and signals the body to - not necessarily slow internal
functions - prepare the individual for sleep and recovery in preparation for the following
day.

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During a normal nights rest, people usually pass through 5 different stages, stages
1-4 as well as REM [Rapid Eye Movement] sleep (Brain Basics). Brain Basics says
that during stage 1 of sleep, which is considered to be the lightest in nature, an individual
will drift in and out of sleep, and can be woken up without much effort. The next stage of
sleep, stage 2, is when eye movement stops, and brain waves become slower, but
occasional bursts of rapid brain waves occur called sleep spindles (Brain Basics). In
stage 3, extremely slow brain waves called delta waves begin to appear, interspersed with
smaller, faster waves (Brain Basics). During stage 4 of the sleep stages, the human
brain almost only produces these delta waves, and at this point in the sleep stages, it
would be very difficult to wake an individual, seeing that this is the deepest form of sleep
that is known (Brain Basics). The last stage of sleep is REM sleep, and this stage of
sleep is when an individuals eyes jerk around rapidly in different directions, breathing
becomes irregular and rapid, as well as an individuals limbs becoming temporarily
paralyzed; this is the type of sleep that when awakened, the individual will feel groggy
and not adjust quickly (Brain Basics). In the deepest stages of sleep is when growth
hormone is produced, whether it is in adolescents or any individual for that matter. Along
with growth hormone being produced [in the deepest stages of sleep] muscular repair and
protein synthesis are at an all time high, to repair damaged muscle tissues that have
received micro-tears [i.e. resistance training, extensive use, etc.]. The amount of sleep
that each person needs varies depending on a multitude of factors, but individuals should
strive to sleep anywhere from 7-9 hours on average.
Did you know that if an individual does not receive enough sleep necessary for
their body, their cognitive function would drastically decrease? In a study that was ran by

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Lopez et al. at the Aviation Sustained Operations Laboratory at Brooks City-Base, Texas,
10 Air Force pilots were continuously deprived of sleep for a total of 35 hours (28). At
every 3-hour increment, the pilots completed the Multi-Attribute Task Battery,
Psychomotor Vigilance Task, and Operation Span Task (Lopez et al. 28). These tests were
to used to see cognitive performance deteriorate as time progressed, through tasks that the
pilots have done many times, and see the effects of sleep deprivation in a controlled
environment. For all cognitive tests, a repeated measures analysis of variance was
performed on each outcome measure to test for changes across the 10 pilots sessions
(Lopez et al. 29). The results of the study were astounding; at around the 18-20 hour
mark of continuous sleep deprivation in all participants in the study, cognitive
performance declined (Lopez et al. 27).
Did you know that if an individual is deprived from sleep, that individuals
physical performance would diminish as well? Sleep deprivation has traditionally been
the major approach to illuminating the role of sleep in human functioning (Mah et al.
943). Not too often is sleep extension used to see how sleep really can benefit an athletes
physical performance. In a study where 11 healthy varsity basketball players at Stanford
University maintained a normal sleep schedule for 2-4 weeks to gauge a baseline, then a
5-7 week sleep extension period where the individuals were to get at least 10 hours of
sleep per night (Mah et al. 943). Not only was athletic performance measured and tested,
the participants moods, daytime drowsiness and sleep-wake activity was measured as
well (Mah et al. 944). Eva Libman et al. states that the duration of continuous sleep that
one gets, along with how refreshed the individual feels after they wake, can actually be a
precursor for how the individuals brain makes up for the lack of therapeutic rest (1).

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What Libman et al. is noting is that even if an individual thinks and feels like they
recieved a continuous and refreshing nights rest, it might not actually be the case. In the
athletes in the Mah et al. case, the athletes had this same phenomenon, except the
opposite. They felt extremely refreshed on the extended sleep, less daytime drowsiness
was reported, and physical performance was greatly improved. Not only was free throw
percentage increased, 3-point field foal percentage increased as well, along with reaction
time being quickened and decreased fatigue being reported (Mah et al.). On the flip side
of the sleep extension coin is sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation in athletes is a
detrimental factor in underperformance and the decline in subsequent physical
performance as well. Just partial sleep deprivation at the end of the night can drastically
hinder anaerobic [without oxygen] performance (HajSalem et al. 815). Disrupting the
natural sleep-waking cycle can have consequences on behavior (qtd. in HajSalem et
al. 815). In addition to the consequences in behavior, sleep deprivation in athletes that are
exposed to short-term sleep loss can severely effect peak and mean power output, as well
as handgrip strength (HajSalem et al. 815). The results of a trial consisting of partial sleep
deprivation in athletes shows major declines in peak and mean power output, but only a
small decline in hand grip strength (HajSalem et al. 816). A good nights sleep is good for
everybody, but it is exponentially more important in athletes who receive compensation
for their physical output [i.e. college athletics/scholarship athletes or paid professional
athletes, etc.].
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major
contributor to the global burden of disease (Huang et al. 1). Depression is directly
correlated to poor physical function in multiple environments, morbidity, increased

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mortality, and a greater use of the healthcare system (Huang et al. 1). When it comes to
sleep and depression, in most cases the two go hand in hand. Individuals that receive poor
sleep for a long span of time, such as years, the impact of the poor sleep takes a vigorous
toll, such as depressive symptoms, as shown in the Five Factor Model, one of the most
established and widely used personality taxonomies (Huang et al. 2). The Five Factor
Model includes neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and
conscientiousness (Huang et al. 2). Depression is not the only effect of poor sleep
quality and insufficient amounts of sleep. Lots of different behavioral disorders can stem
from poor sleep and insufficient amounts such as excessive sleepiness ad narcolepsy,
among others (National Sleep Foundation). When an individual receives poor sleep or
insufficient amounts, there can be very noticeable damage to said individuals
psychological makeup. In fact, the damage is so apparent that it is unethical to
coercively deprive someone of sleep (Miller). When it comes to psychological problems,
they can start to manifest on a smaller scale in the beginning, such as positive emotion in
their faces, for example, they could be happy, and even state that they are happy, but a
sleep deprived individuals facial expression would look neutral (Miller). Sleep
deprivation along with poor sleep quality can undoubtedly affect individuals in a negative
manner.
Seeing that sleep is an activity that is needed for the human body to operate at
peak efficiency, there are multitudes of ways to sleep better. Support your bodys natural
rhythms (Smith, Robinson, Segal). This would include going to sleep at around the same
time each night and waking up around the same time every morning and be smart about
napping (Smith, Robinson, Segal). Control your exposure to light, seeing that melatonin

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[hormone that can induce sleep and helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle] is controlled by
light exposure (Smith, Robinson, Segal). Exercise regularly and vigorously. Wind down
and clear your head before you try and fall asleep, and pay attention to the foods and
liquids that you consume. Always remember, sleeping is easy, and if you happen to
struggle with it, talk to a doctor or healthcare professional and they will be able to steer
you in the right direction and get your sleeping back on schedule.

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Works Cited
Dattilo, M., et al. "Sleep and Muscle Recovery: Endocrinological and Molecular Basis
for a New and Promising Hypothesis." Medical Hypotheses 77.2 (2011): 220-2.
Print.
HajSalem, Mohamed, et al. "Effects of Partial Sleep Deprivation at the End of the Night
on Anaerobic Performances in Judokas." Biological Rhythm Research 44.5 (2013):
815-21. Print.
Hirschie Johnson, Carl, Jeffrey A. Elliott, and Russell Foster. "Entrainment of Circadian
Programs." Chronobiology International 20.5 (2003): 741-74. Print.
Huang, Vivian, et al. "Subjective Sleep Quality as a Possible Mediator in the Relationship
between Personality Traits and Depressive Symptoms in Middle-Aged
Adults." PLoS ONE 11.6 (2016): 1-18. Print.
Libman, Eva, et al. "Refreshing Sleep and Sleep Continuity Determine Perceived Sleep
Quality." Sleep Disorders (2016): 1-10. Print.
Lopez, Nadia, et al. "Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Performance by United
States Air Force Pilots." Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition 1.1
(2012): 27-33. Print.
Mah, Cheri D., MS, et al. "Effects of Sleep Extension on the Athletic Performance of
Collegiate Basektball Players." SLEEP 34.07 (2011): 950. Print.

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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. "Brain Basics: Understanding
Sleep." 2014. Web. National Institute of Health. July 16, 2016
National Sleep Foundation. "Sleep Disorders Problems." 2016. Web. Sleep.org. July 17,
2016
Peters, Brandon, MD. "The Anatomy and Sleep Functions of the Brain's Suprachiasmatic
Nucleus." Very Well. June 19 2016. Web. July 25, 2016
Sara G. Miller. "The Spooky Effects of Sleep Deprivation." 2015. Web. July 16, 2016
Smith, Melinda, M.A., Robinson, Lawrence, Segal, Robert, M.A. "How to Sleep
Better." HelpGuide.org. May 2016. Web. July 25, 2016
University of Warwick. "Lack Of Sleep Doubles Risk Of Death, But So Can Too Much
Sleep Date." ScienceDaily. 2007. Web. 2016