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Sleep - Vital for Health

Ever feel sleepy after a meal especially after lunch? It is normal to feel sleepy in the early afternoon because of the drop in body temperature. Recently, scientists have discovered a protein called hypocretin or orexin. This is produced in the brain and helps to keep us awake. When we eat, the body secretes leptin, the hormone that lets our body know that we have eaten enough. However leptin inhibits the production of hypocretin. In other words, the more leptin there is in the brain, the less hypocretin and the greater the feeling of drowsiness. This could be the reason why in some countries people take a siesta—a break in the workday that allows people to take an afternoon nap.

To quote Shakespeare, sleep is the "chief nourisher in life's east." Our brain interprets lack of sleep as lack of food. When we stay awake longer than we should, our body produces less leptin, and we feel a craving for more carbohydrates. So sleep deprivation can lead to increased carbohydrate consumption, which in turn can lead to obesity. Sleep makes it easier for our body to metabolize free radicals—molecules that are said to affect the aging of cells and even cause cancer. Sleep deprivation even affects the production of white blood cells and the hormone cortisol, making a person more prone to infections and circulatory diseases.

In computer terms, sleep is a state where a program or task is suspended or placed into inactive mode for a period of time. If computers need sleep, how about humans? We only have one body and this was given to us to take care and not to abuse. Sleep tight! :)

Labels: sleep