Sleep is an important part of your life. An average human spends about a third of their life sleeping.
Did you know...?
- A baby sleeps for about 16 hours a day.
- A preschooler sleeps for about 11 hours.
- A nine-year-old sleeps for about 10 hours a day.
- A teenager sleeps, or should sleep, for about nine hours.
Sleep is a very special state when we rest and take a break. When you sleep, your brain does not know what is going on around you. The muscles in your arms, legs or torso don’t move much. In fact, every part of your body slows down. Even your brainwaves (signs of brain activity) are different than when you are awake.
Why is sleep important?
Your body needs a certain amount of sleep to work well. Sleep can affect all areas of your life, including how you concentrate, complete school work, perform in athletics and sporting events, and even if you are in a good or bad mood.
Our minds and bodies are restored by sleep. If you don't have a good night of sleep, you will often feel tired, less energetic, crabby and more sensitive to pain. In fact, research studies show that losing sleep makes people feel more pain the next day.
