The Role Of Sleep In Physical And Mental Health

Sleep is an important activity in maintaining one's physical and mental health. Apart from being a time of rest for the body, sleep also has an important role in repairing body cells, strengthening the immune system, and helping the recovery process after physical and mental activities. Lack of sleep is known to affect a person's psychological condition and mental health. On the other hand, people who have problems with mental health often also experience sleep disturbances, for example insomnia or difficulty sleeping at night.

Sleep disturbances are also often one of the signs that appear as symptoms of mental health disorders. Sleep is one of the basic human needs. After a day of activities, quality sleep at night can help maintain body condition and restore energy to return to activities the next day. Adults generally need about 7-8 hours of sleep at night.

Sleep disorders, such as insomnia, have long been observed as one of the symptoms that arise from most mental health problems. In the sleep process, there are four stages that the body will go through before falling asleep perfectly. When your body tries to sleep, your body temperature drops, your muscles relax, and your heart rate and breathing slow down. The deepest stage of this phase produces physiological changes that will help the immune system function. The following is the role of sleep in maintaining physical and mental health:

1. Repair body cells

Sleep is the ideal time for the body to repair cells damaged by exposure to a bad environment or fatigue after daily activities. During sleep, the body will produce growth hormone which helps repair damaged body cells and strengthen bones and muscles. Therefore, lack of sleep can cause the body's recovery process to be disturbed, so that the body becomes vulnerable to various diseases and infections.

2. Strengthen the immune system

Sleep also has an important role in strengthening the immune system. During sleep, the body will produce proteins called cytokines that play a role in fighting infection and inflammation in the body. In addition, sleep also helps increase the number of immune cells in the body so that it can strengthen the immune system and prevent various diseases.

3. Helps the recovery process after physical and mental activity
Sleep also has an important role in helping the recovery process after physical and mental activity. After physical activity, the body needs time to repair damaged muscles and replenish lost energy. Whereas after tiring mental activity, sleep will help restore concentration and focus so that a person can be more productive the next day.

4. Maintain mental health
Sleep also has an important role in maintaining one's mental health. Lack of sleep can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and mood disorders. During sleep, the brain will process the information it has received during daily activities and cleanse toxins that have formed in the brain. Therefore, adequate sleep can help maintain mental health and prevent various mental health problems.

In conclusion, sleep has a very important role in maintaining one's physical and mental health. Lack of sleep can cause various health problems, so it is very important for everyone to pay attention to their sleep needs and try to get enough sleep every day. Consultation on the health problems of Hermina Friends at Hermina Pandanaran Hospital.