Questão 16 - FACMAR 2024

    SLEEP AND HEALTH

 

Erica Jansen - Research Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences March 2, 2020

 

Sleep is an altered state of consciousness where we have limited interactions with our surroundings and 
are relatively quiet and still, depending on the stage of sleep. Contrary to our quiet physical state, the brain 
is very active during sleep, carrying out many important functions. That is why sleep is essential to every 
process in the body, affecting our physical and mental functioning the next day, our ability to fight disease 
[05]  and develop immunity, and our metabolism and chronic disease risk. 

It is well-known that certain substances, such as caffeine, can affect the onset of sleep in a negative way. On 
the other hand, evidence is growing that shows how other foods like tart cherries, kiwi, fatty fish (like salmon 
and tuna), and malted milk may have beneficial effects on sleep. More recently, studies have shown that 
healthy dietary patterns overall—not just specific foods—could be associated with longer sleep duration 
[10]  and shorter time to fall asleep.

Sleep is important for every part of the body. In young children, lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can be 
associated with difficult behaviors, lower capacity to learn and retain information, and a propensity for poor 
eating patterns and weight gain. As for adolescents, they need around 8-10 hours of sleep per night, but 
a high proportion do not get that amount. This has to do with school times. In school districts that have 
[15]  enacted later school start times, research is consistently showing that students get more sleep and as a 
result have better grades and improved mental health.

 Good sleep is essential for maintaining our baseline mental health, as one night of sleep deprivation can 
dramatically affect mood the next day. Chronic exposure to poor sleep quality is associated with depression, 
anxiety, and other conditions. There are also bidirectional associations—meaning that experiencing anxiety 
[20]  and depression very often affects sleep, which then impacts our ability to cope with the anxiety and 
depression, and so on.

Adapted from: https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2020posts/why-sleep-is-so-important-to-your-health.html Accessed 20 January 2024.

Observe these questions:

 

1. Should school classes start early?
2. Does what we eat impact our sleep?
3. What is sleep and how does it help us stay healthy?
4. What is the connection between sleep and mental health?

 

Their answers can be found, respectively, in the following paragraphs: