10 Fun Facts About Sleep

There's no denying that sleep is essential for good health and well-being. Unfortunately, our ever-increasing load of responsibilities -- from work and kids to cooking and laundry -- leaves us little time for shuteye. On the whole, though, people enjoy sleeping and feel more energized after getting a sufficient amount of it.

Here are a few fun facts about sleep from the National Sleep Foundation:

Exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep and contributes to sounder sleep. However, exercising sporadically or right before going to bed will make falling asleep more challenging.
Man is the only mammal that willingly delays sleep
Divorced, widowed and separated people report more insomnia
Newborns sleep a total of 14 to 17 hours a day on an irregular schedule with periods of one to three hours spent awake
Most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. However, some individuals are capable of functioning without drowsiness or sleepiness after as little as six hours of sleep. Others can’t perform at their peak unless they’ve slept ten hours.
We naturally feel tired at two different times of the day: about 2:00 AM and 2:00 PM. It is this natural drop in alertness that is chiefly responsible for the post-lunch dip.
Snoring is the main cause of sleep disruption for approximately 90 million American adults (37 million on a regular basis)
Scientists still don't know if animals dream during REM sleep, as human beings do
One of the primary causes of excessive sleepiness among Americans is self-imposed sleep deprivation
People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to have bigger appetites due to the fact that their leptin levels (leptin is an appetite-regulating hormone) drop, promoting appetite increase

Do you sleep well every night? Do you get enough of it? Please share your comments on the blog or on Google +. Plus, be sure to check out prior entries here: How to Understand People

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