What happens to our brain when we’re asleep?
Interestingly, the visual, motor, emotional, and memory centers of our brains all increase in activity when we are asleep (Devita, et. al, 2017).
On the other hand, the pre-frontal cortex, which is sort of like the CEO of the brain, becomes less active (Devita, et. al, 2017). This part of our brain is very good at rational and logical thinking which may explain why our dreams often don’t make sense and are all over the place.
Benefits of sleep
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Improve memory: During sleep, your brain helps strengthen the memories of the new information you’ve been exposed to in a process called consolidation (Walker er. al, 2011).
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Improve creativity: In addition to consolidating memories, your brain seems to also restructure them. This is what helps spur creativity (Walker et. al, 2011).
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Improve focus: We’ve all experienced a time where we were trying to complete a task, but begin to doze off. Our brain just can’t function at its optimal level because it hasn’t gotten enough time to rest.
How much is enough?
Both the quantity and quality of sleep are important to maintain the health of your brain.
According to research, you should get at least around 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Getting any less than at least 7 hours of sleep can cause severe damage to your brain over time (Blagrove et. al, 2001).
Alzheimer's is caused by a buildup of a fancy chemical called Acetylcholine in the brain caused by a lack of sleep over the years (Balgrove et. al, 2001).
What can I do to get better sleep?
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Make an effort to go to bed and wake up around the same time everyday.
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Limit the amount of light you are exposed to when it’s close to your bedtime. Usually an hour before you go to bed.
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Avoid using electronic devices.
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Take a hot bath or shower before bed
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Most importantly, figure out what works best for you.