The Science of Sleeping

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    Until the 1950s, most people thought sleep was an entirely passive activity. Nowadays, we know that our brains are actually very active when we are sleeping. In fact, neurons in our brain fire nearly as often when we are asleep as when we are awake -- and they consume almost as much energy.
Why? Some scientists say it is because neural circuits replay important memories when we sleep. This strengthens the connections among cells in those circuits, helping us form new memories, consolidate older ones, and link more recent memories to earlier ones.
     Not only does sleep help us create and consolidate memories, but it also helps us maintain a healthy immune system, regulate hormones that affect our appetites, and stay energetic when we are awake.
     But what is really happening in our brains and bodies while we are snoozing away? And how much sleep do we really need?

      With that being said if you always sleep late this is what will happen to you:

The Stages of Sleeping 

     Stage 1 is light sleep where you drift in and out of sleep and can be awakened easily. In this stage, the eyes move slowly and muscle activity slows. During this stage, many people experience sudden muscle contractions preceded by a sensation of falling.

     In stage 2, eye movement stops and brain waves become slower with only an occasional burst of rapid brain waves. The body begins to prepare for deep sleep, as the body temperature begins to drop and the heart rates slows.

     When a person enters stage 3, extremely slow brain waves called delta waves are interspersed with smaller, faster waves. This is deep sleep. It is during this stage that a person may experience sleepwalking, night terrors, talking during one’s sleep, and bedwetting. These behaviors are known as parasomnias, and tend to occur during the transitions between non-REM and REM sleep.

     While in stage 4, deep sleep continues as the brain produces delta waves almost exclusively. People roused from this state feel disoriented for a few minutes.

     During Rem (Rapid Eye Movement) , brain waves mimic activity during the waking state. The eyes remain closed but move rapidly from side-to-side, perhaps related to the intense dream and brain activity that occurs during this stage.

Dreams...
     Dreams can be exciting,scary,disturbing or a downright bizarre.We all dream even if we do not remember it the next day
What are dreams?
     Dreams are basically stories and images our mind creates while we sleep. Dreams can be vivid. They can make you feel happy, sad, or scared. And they may seem confusing or perfectly rational.Dreams can occur anytime during sleep. But most vivid dreams occur during deep, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, when the brain is most active. Some experts say we dream at least four to six times per night.
Why do we dream?
     Here are many theories about why we dream, but no one knows for sure. Some researchers say dreams have no purpose or meaning and are nonsensical activities of the sleeping brain. Others say dreams are necessary for mental, emotional, and physical health.
Studies have shown the importance of dreams to our health and well-being. In one study, researchers woke subjects just as they were drifting off into REM sleep. They found that those who were not allowed to dream experienced:

• Increased tension
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Lack of coordination
• Weight gain
• Tendency to hallucinate

Many experts say that dreams exist to:

• Help solve problems in our lives
• Incorporate memories
• Process emotions

     Perhaps there is merit with all these theories. Some dreams may help our brains process our thoughts and the events of the day. Others may just be the result of normal brain activity and mean very little, if anything. Researchers are still trying to figure out exactly why we dream.

Anyway,  

Comment below: How many hours of sleep do you get every night?