It's AumSum Time.
What Would Happen if We Stopped Sleeping?
We will have to sell our beds.
No.
How long have you gone without sleeping?
16 hours?
18 hours?
Don't you feel tired, longing to sleep?
However, if you stay awake for around 24 hours.
Something completely opposite happens.
You feel energetic, positive and happy.
Why?
Because the brain secretes extra dopamine.
The happy hormone to compensate for lack of sleep.
But, this doesn't last long.
After 48 hours of staying awake, body starts shutting down.
You feel exhausted as the body cannot metabolize glucose properly, lowering energy supply.
Immune system weakens, you start looking pale and make impulsive decisions.
Continuing to stay awake, can lead to hallucinations.
Making it difficult to understand what is real.
In a study, a student called Randy Garner went without sleep for 11 days.
Though, he is fine now.
This isn't recommended as studies show that 14 days without sleep can lead to death.
Why do we sleepwalk?
Because burger joints offer 80% discount at night.
No.
Sleepwalking or somnambulism is a disorder.
Which causes people to walk around while they're asleep.
Occasionally, they may even go to the bathroom or drive a car.
But what exactly is going on over here?
While sleeping, our brain goes through various stages of sleep.
However sometimes, when we are in deep, Non-REM stage of sleep.
Our brain skips the active brain, REM stage and directly goes to being awake.
Hence, we enter a state where our brain is just awake enough.
To perform physical activities.
But it is still asleep enough to not have any conscious awareness.
Causing us to be in a sort of mixed state of sleep and wakefulness.
Thus causing us to sleepwalk.
It is observed that sleepwalking is more common in children.
However, factors like stress, sleep deprivation, sedative drugs, sleep apnea, etc.
May lead to sleepwalking in adults.
What is sleep paralysis?
No idea.
Sleep paralysis is a condition in which we are conscious.
But temporarily unable to move or speak.
It can usually occur when we suddenly wake up during REM sleep.
What is REM sleep.
Basically, there are four stages of sleep.
One of them is Rapid eye movement sleep, i.e., REM sleep.
In this stage, we dream.
Researchers suggest that when we enter REM sleep.
Two chemicals, glycine and GABA "switch off" the activity of cells.
In the brain that allow our muscles to move.
Oh no.
This is so bad.
No.
It is actually beneficial because paralyzed muscles prevent us.
From enacting our dreams in reality and getting hurt.
However, sometimes we suddenly wake up during REM sleep.
But if glycine and GABA are still active.
We are temporarily unable to move, even though we are conscious.
This is called sleep paralysis.
Which is the best sleeping position?
Mine.
Alright.
Let's see.
Sleeping on our back allows our spine to rest in a neutral position.
Preventing neck and back pain.
Also, as the face is not pressed against the pillow.
It avoids over wrinkling.
However, this position is prone to more snoring.
Sleeping on our stomach prevents snoring.
But makes it difficult to maintain a neutral spine position.
It puts pressure on our joints and muscles, leading to numbness, neck and back pain, etc.
Sleeping on our side keeps the spine elongated and prevents neck and back pain.
Sleeping especially on the left side decreases.
Acid reflux, improves blood circulation, digestion, etc.
However, side sleeping presses our face against the pillow and increases the chances of wrinkling.
Some people even curl up tightly while sleeping on one side.
This restricts breathing.
Now, since all positions have advantages and disadvantages, there is no best position.
But if sleeping in a specific position is causing problems.
You can switch to other positions for better results.