Khaberni - Sleep is not just a time for rest, it is an essential biological process for maintaining physical and mental health. This is confirmed by Spanish sleep medicine specialist Eduard Estivill, who described sleep in his podcast Talent talk as a "repair workshop" where the body works every night to repair what was exhausted during the day.
Estivill explains that sleep consists of successive cycles that include stages of light and deep sleep, in addition to the rapid eye movement (REM) stage, with each cycle lasting about two hours and repeating several times throughout the night. During REM sleep, the brain remains active, breathing patterns become irregular, and rapid eye movements occur, a crucial phase for reinforcing memory and achieving emotional balance.
The need for sleep varies by age; a child needs about 11 hours daily, while a teenager needs about 9 hours, and a young adult needs at least 8 hours.
However, the sleep specialist warns that a broad segment of people sleep less than the recommended average, especially during weekdays.
Estivill refutes the common belief that sleeping in on weekends can make up for lack of sleep during the week. He says, "Sleep is not recovered, it is lost like time."
Extra sleep on weekends compensates for only 10% to 20% of accumulated sleep debt, while its negative effects remain in the form of fatigue, decreased performance, and cognitive disturbances.
What is more concerning, according to the Spanish doctor, is the impact of prolonged night work. In this case, the brain is forced to sleep at a time that does not align with the body's biological clock; leading to fragmented sleep and hormonal disturbances. He adds: "Studies suggest that every five years of night work could correspond to a loss of one year from the average lifespan."
Research also shows that getting sufficient sleep enhances job performance. In a study that included employees and managers, it was observed that those who sleep at least 8 hours increase their productivity by between 10% and 12% and make better decisions compared to those who only sleep 5 or 6 hours.
Therefore, some companies have begun to encourage taking short naps during work. According to experts, a nap lasting between 10 and 20 minutes can give the brain a fresh boost of focus and energy for the rest of the day.
