Deep Sleep

Written By Emily Kosciuk

I asked chatgpt about the chemical changes after 8 hours of sleep and copied and pasted it for this post to keep it simple and to the point. Hopefully, this will help highlight how sleep affects us so intricately.

After sleeping for 8 hours, several important chemical changes occur in the body that help to restore and rejuvenate various systems. Here are some key chemical changes:

  1. Hormone Regulation:

    • Growth Hormone: Released in pulses, especially during deep sleep, it promotes tissue repair, muscle growth, and bone development.

    • Cortisol: Sleep reduces cortisol levels, the stress hormone, which decreases inflammation and helps regulate metabolism.

    • Melatonin: The "sleep hormone" is produced by the pineal gland in response to darkness, helping to regulate the sleep-wake cycle and promote deep sleep.

    • Insulin Sensitivity: During sleep, insulin sensitivity improves, which is important for regulating blood sugar levels and maintaining metabolic health.

  2. Brain and Neurotransmitter Activity:

    • Neurotransmitters: Sleep helps to rebalance levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which influence mood, cognition, and relaxation.

    • Adenosine: Adenosine levels build up during wakefulness, promoting sleepiness. During sleep, adenosine levels decrease, helping to restore alertness and energy for the next day.

  3. Immune System Boost:

    • Sleep helps regulate immune function by promoting the production of cytokines (proteins involved in inflammation and immune response), thus improving the body's ability to fight off infections.

  4. Protein Synthesis:

    • Sleep promotes the repair and rebuilding of tissues and muscles. Protein synthesis increases during deep sleep, aiding muscle recovery and overall cellular repair.

  5. Energy Balance:

    • During sleep, the body shifts from using glucose as a primary energy source to fat as an energy reserve. This process supports energy balance and contributes to fat metabolism.

  6. Detoxification:

    • The brain's glymphatic system becomes more active during sleep, clearing out waste products like beta-amyloid (linked to Alzheimer's disease) from the brain. This process is essential for brain health.

 

a little poem in my head as I fell asleep:

I am sand
I am sand
I am sand

like a sandbag, an hourglass, a vacation

I am sand
I am sand
I am sand

 

December 29th, 2024

Emily Kosciuk
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