Introduction
00:00:00Sleep Extends Life and Strengthens Learning Getting enough sleep is incredibly important; people who sleep enough live about five years longer than those who don't. The evolutionary cost of nightly unconsciousness signals huge benefits that justify the risk. After poor sleep, concentration falters and the brain struggles to take in new information. During sleep, the brain consolidates learning from short- to long-term memory and fits it with what we already know. Problems can be solved overnight by sleeping on it, and waking refreshed reflects this nightly brain work.
Sleep Loss Triggers Stress With Knock-On Health Risks Sleep deprivation acts as a stressor that activates the fight-or-flight response, prioritizing immediate survival over long-term health. When the strain becomes chronic, the immune system is damped down, leading to knock-on problems such as heart disease. These are indirect consequences of sustained lack of sleep. On average, sleeping eight hours a day means about one third of life—around 229,961 hours—is spent asleep.