One-third of one’s life is being spent in sleeping. It might be much longer than you thought. Previously, only a few people were concerned about sleep. Most people were not interested in sleep at all.

 However, recently a relaxed and easy life style has rapidly become a trend. As a result, people’s interest in sleeping is increasing as well. ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response), which has gained popularity, shows us how curious people are about sleep. Now, let’s take a look at sleeping.

 Q1. Why we sleep? What are the benefits of sleeping?

 The main reason we sleep is to conserve our energy, so we use it when we need to be active. In other words, sleep is the time for the body to repair damage. During sleep, your body's immune system works to protect you from illness.

 Also, sleep promotes memory, and performance. While you are sleeping, your brain moves knowledge from the short-term memory to the long-term memory.

 Q2. What happens if you don’t get enough sleep?

 Lack of sleep can cause many problems. First of all, lack of sleep hinders the immune system making you more vulnerable to illnesses.

 Second, mental illness such as Anxiety and depression can be caused by lack of sleep. It can cause paranoid thoughts and delusions as well.

 At last, it can lead to a problem with the supply of the oxygen. Cutting off the oxygen supply may result in brain damage. Also, athletic ability can be decreased and you could feel numb.

 Q3. Misconceptions about sleep.

 # Alcohol helps you sleep?

 It might help you fall asleep, but it may mess up your sleeping cycle. Also, alcohol impairs breathing and can cause heavy snoring.

 # The older you get, the fewer hours of sleep you need?

 Experts said seven to nine hours of sleep for the average adult. Sleep patterns are change as we age, but the amount of sleep we need does not. Older people may wake more frequently during sleeping and get less nighttime sleep. Instead, older people tend to sleep more during the day.

 Having a good night’s sleep is very important as above. What should you do to improve the quality of your sleep?

 1. Light exercise and walking are helpful for deep sleep. These activities help you feel refreshed and keep muscles relaxed.

 2. Block out light from electronics. They may disturb your sleep.

 3. Do not eat too much before sleep.

L.L.F. reporter Yu-Jin Kim