It’s common knowledge that sleep is not only necessary to make us to be functional but is healthy for us too. Just how important is it for us to get our nightly sleep? The following research suggests without it, we wouldn’t be able to store information the way we do.

Some research suggests that those who don’t sleep well are more prone to develop Alzheimer’s, and that elderly people who experience more sleepiness are more likely to develop the disease. Generally, we experience less sound sleep and more interruptions as we reach an elderly age. It has been proven that the default mode network is negativity effected and less coordinated when we are sleepy. The default mode network describes the regions of the brain that are necessary for our introspection and are active even during rest.

Another study revealed that participants who were deprived of sleep had connectivity difficulties between their default mode network and hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for our memories and storing information. This is why we experience problems with our memory when these areas of our brain have difficulty communicating with each other.

Research conducted on zebrafish by Lior Appelbaum and Phillippe Mourrain of Stanford University concluded that sleep actually makes it possible for us to recover from our day, and that without sleep it would be impossible for us to absorb or store anything new.However, further research needs to be done to establish some of these research conclusions into facts. One thing that remains apparent is that sleep is necessary for day-to-day functions. It is a process that helps ensure we are able to store, organize, and recall information.

Are you having trouble sleeping? Chiropractic care may be able to help! Give us a call at (425) 277-2225 or contact us online to schedule an appointment today!

Sources: CNN, Scientific American, and About.com.