Why Sleep is so Important It is not fully understood why we need to sleep, so perhaps its importance is best explained by understanding

the effects of a lack of good, quality sleep. Surveys have reported that many people sleep less than six hours a night and that up to a third of people in the UK have reported having sleep difficulties at some point in their lives. Although it is believed to be more prevalent in women and to increase with age. Whilst having the occasional disturbed night or bout of sleepless nights may be irritating, a short period of insomnia is generally something your body can cope with and is therefore no cause for concern. However, chronic sleep issues are a very different matter. It is my belief that lack of restful sleep plays a significant part in fibromyalgia/CFS. It is accepted that lack of sleep may contribute to a number of health problems, including: 1. Concentration, Memories and Learning Sleep helps to consolidate memories, improve concentration and the ability to learn. Sleep deprivation contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the day. Reduced concentration and tiredness may cause falls, mistakes and accidents. Sleep deprivation also affects motor skills and decision-making, to the degree that it can be similar to that of driving whilst drunk if seriously sleep deprived. For me this was a major problem and I even had to stop driving altogether for a while. 2. Cardiovascular Health Cardiovascular disease increases the chance of having a sleep disorder. Conversely, sleep disorders increase the chance of having cardiovascular disease. Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress, hormone levels and an irregular heartbeat. 3. Immune System Individuals who are continually rushing around are susceptible to viruses the minute they stop or wind down for a holiday or a break. Many people find they come down with a cold having become exhausted after a stressful event or a big project at work that has adversely affected their sleep. Sleep is essential for the immune system. Without adequate sleep, the immune system becomes weak and the body more vulnerable to infection and disease. Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the bodys killer cells, which keep the invaders at bay while the rest of the immune system prepares to fight infection. Unlike our other immune cells, they are always at the ready and have the innate ability to recognise viruses and tumour cells immediately, while other immune cells take two to three days to begin their processes. 4. Nervous System Neurons are the highways of the nervous system that carry out both voluntary commands, like your moving limbs, and essential involuntary commands, like breathing and digestive processes. Sleep is also a time of rest and repair, so you

dont have to be a neuroscientist to recognise that a long-term lack of quality sleep is not good for your nervous system. 5. Mood and Emotions Proper sleep, especially sleep where you are actively dreaming (REM sleep), may regulate mood as well as emotions. Lack of sleep can make even the most easy-going people irritable and cranky, affecting social interaction. 6. Metabolism and Weight Severe sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the levels of hormones that control our appetite and also the way we process and store carbohydrates. 7. Hormone Release Many hormones substances produced to trigger, stimulate or regulate particular body functions into action are timed to release during sleep or right before sleep. Growth hormones, for example, are released during sleep vital not only to growing children, but also for restorative processes like muscle repair. How Much Sleep is Enough? All of us need sleep. We sleep to rest our minds and bodies and to restore our energy for the following day, but how much do we need? There have been several famous, successful people who are reported to function incredibly well with very little sleep. There are varying reports that suggest that the artist Leonardo da Vinci was known to sleep one and a half hours a day by sleeping for fifteen minutes every four hours. What effect this had on him we will never know. And we are told that Margaret Thatcher, Florence Nightingale and Napoleon only needed four hours a night. In reality, there are always exceptions to every rule and it may be possible to train ourselves to function well on less than average sleep. But most of us need a good nights sleep of between seven and eight hours a night in order to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to perform at our best during the day ahead. We all feel sleepy at one time or another. Simply staying up late to watch a film or having a night out can result in feeling tired the next day. While most of us can push through this feeling, if the shortage of sleep continues over a period of time, we can build up a large sleep deficit. This takes its toll on our physical and emotional health, and can result in symptoms similar to those of fibromyalgia/CFS.