How Much Time Are You Wasting On Sleep?

Sleep has a Huge Impact on Our Quality of Life

Every individual’s rest and sleep requirements differ. A healthy person’s body is able to handle a bigger blow of stress, and recover with less consequences. People with chronic illnesses on the other hand, learn to pay constant attention to the state of their body.

If there is one thing we can agree on through our assorted experiences, it is that sleep has a huge impact on the quality of our our lives. Many things play a role in the quality of your sleep, including good sleep hygiene, and if your bed is well suited for your needs and body type.

*Disclaimer: This article is meant for educational purposes, and is based on my personal experiences as a patient. Whilst I have done my utmost to be meticulous in research, I am not a doctor, and nothing in this article should be substituted for medical advice. Please consult your own doctor before changing or adding any new treatment protocols. This post may also contain affiliate links. It will cost you nothing to click on them. I will get a small referral fee from purchases you make, which helps with the maintenance of this blog. Read our Privacy Policy page for more information. Thank you!

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Sleep is NOT a Luxury; It is a Necessity

In modern society, sleep is often considered a luxury more than a necessity, but your brain isn’t loafing when you rest (BBC News, 2014). It isn't so much a descent from an active to passive state. It is more of a switch of modes from energy consumption to replenishment and restoration. Your brain redirects blood and energy, and your body undergoes maintenance and repair. Even the fastest car needs to undergo constant maintenance, what more your body.

Let us take a quick look at what goes on within our bodies when we sleep, and how it can affect us.

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” – Sir John Lubbock

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1. Garbage Collection During Sleep

Our body has a garbage collection system known as the Glymphatic System, which becomes 10 times more active when we are asleep (Michaud, 2013). This system is in charge of taking out the protein trash such as amyloid-beta. An accumulation such proteins leads to neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's. In fact, almost all neurodegenerative diseases result from a build up of this toxic protein (Chen et al., 2017).

Research has also found that the brain’s cells reduce up to 60% in size when we are asleep, which allows for efficient waste removal (Michaud, 2013). (This fact fascinates me, as the surgeon who tried an experimental technique during my heart surgery mimicked this concept).

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2. Circulation of TNF (a Cancer Killer) Happens When We Sleep

A cancer killer known as TNF (tumour necrosis factor alpha) starts to circulate when we are asleep. Research has shown that both the amount as well as the effectiveness of it reduces by a third in those who slept after 3am (Rockstrom et al., 2018).

3. Immune System Resistance & Recovery is Optimised Whilst Sleeping

You may already have noticed that sleeping aids in recovery when you are sick. This may be due to an increase of infection resisting proteins produced by our immune systems when we sleep (Mayo Clinic, 2025). Moderate amounts of sleep deprivation also reduces the levels of white blood cells in our bodies, which play a big role in our body's defence system (Suni, 2018).

Studies have also shown that in only one week of sleep deprivation, genes involved in inflammation and more were activated (Zhao et al., 2016). Millions of people are sustaining damage to their bodies in this manner.

4. Tissue Renewal & Repair Happens Fasters Whilst We are Asleep

The artificial lights that we use round the clock in modern society resets our Circadian Rhythm as much as exposure to the sun does (National Institute of General Medical Sciences [NIGMS], 2025). This forces our bodies to work overtime. As a result, physical processes such as digestion and cell renewal become less efficient. Every tissue in the body, from those in our muscles and bones right down to those at the cellular level, renews at a faster rate while asleep (Paddock, 2014).

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5. Improved Processing of Blood Sugar During Sleep

Studies have shown that the ability to process blood sugar in healthy young men were reduced by up to 30% after only getting four hours of sleep per night for a week. This result nearly matches those of diabetics. There was also a huge drop in their insulin response, and elevated levels of cortisol (Gardner, 2012). This is a stress hormone which can lead to hypertension and memory impairment. Research is also ongoing from this finding, to understand the link between sleep and obesity (Knutson & Van Cauter, 2008).

6. Hormone Regulation Shifts to ‘Repair’ Mode During Sleep

Sleeping moves our body from a catabolic to anabolic state. That is, from one of stimulation, to one of conservation, repair and regrowth (Diffen, 2025).

Many of us are familiar with melatonin (Johns Hopkins Medicine, n.d.) and associate it with sleep supplements. In fact, it is a hormone that also helps in the regulation of other hormones within our body, too. Apart from maintaining our body's circadian rhythm, it is also linked to female reproductive hormones and more.

7. Skin Clean Up & Repair Also Happens During Sleep

The top layer of our skin comprises of dead cells that are closely packed together. They shed throughout the day, but the metabolic speed of our skin speeds up during sleep. This enables these dead cells to be shed at a faster rate. A lack of sleep for a continued period of time can also cause premature ageing of the skin and permanent discolouration (Aswell, 2022).

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8. The Importance of Sleep Cycles

A normal night of sleep consists of both REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non rapid eye movement) sleep, with the latter consisting of three different stages. The brain cycles through these stages of sleep throughout the night; each cycle lasts approximately 90 to 120 minutes, and 8 hours of sleep typically consists of four to five cycles (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).

The brain is in a state of high activity during REM sleep, which is when we dream. When an individual does not get enough REM sleep, many problems can occur, such as memory and cognitive issues (Summer, 2024). Sleep disorders can disrupt the sleep cycle at any point, leading to further health, mental and cognitive issues (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).

9. Our Brain Organises Memories & Thoughts Whilst We are Sleeping

A sharp increase in blood to brain areas happens during sleep, which aids with the removal of metabolic brain waste. The brain recharges its energy stores, and does some housekeeping. A lack of sleep can thus lead to degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, and also other mental conditions such as anxiety and depression (Chuprinski, 2021).

Conclusion - Are You Wasting Time on Sleep?

This is but a brief list that skims the surface of sleep and its purposes. Yet it is enough to see that our bodies are hard at work not only when we are in physical motion, but also whilst at rest. So don’t feel bad about going to bed now if it’s time – your body has other very important jobs to attend to!

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For More Insight on Sleep:
• While We Sleep, Our Mind Goes on an Amazing Journey
• Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep
• Cellular Garbage Disposals Clean Up
• Global sleeping patterns revealed by app data
• Body Clock: What makes you tick?

References:

• Aswell, S. (2022, August 22). 6 ways to maximize your beauty sleep for #wokeuplikethis skin. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/beauty-sleep
• BBC News. (2014, May 12). ‘Arrogance’ of ignoring need for sleep. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-27286872
• Chen, G., Xu, T., Yan, Y., Zhou, Y., Jiang, Y., Melcher, K., & Xu, H. E. (2017). Amyloid beta: Structure, biology and structure-based therapeutic development. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, 38(9), 1205–1235. https://doi.org/10.1038/aps.2017.28
• Chuprinski, M. (2021, January 18). Increased blood flow during sleep tied to critical brain function. Penn State University. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/increased-blood-flow-during-sleep-tied-critical-brain-function
• Cleveland Clinic. (2023, June 19). Sleep. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/12148-sleep-basics
• Diffen. (2025, June 22). Anabolism vs catabolism. https://www.diffen.com/difference/Anabolism_vs_Catabolism
• Gardner, A. (2012, ctober). Too little sleep may fuel insulin resistance. CNN Health. https://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/15/health/sleep-insulin-resistance/
• Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Melatonin for sleep: Does it work? Retrieved 2025, June 30 from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/melatonin-for-sleep-does-it-work
• Knutson, K. L., & Van Cauter, E. (2008). Associations between sleep loss and increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1129, 287–304. https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1417.033
• Mayo Clinic. (2025, January 24). Can lack of sleep make you sick? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-20057757
• Michaud, M. (2013, October 17). To sleep, perchance to clean. University of Rochester Medical Center. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/to-sleep-perchance-to-clean
• National Institute of General Medical Sciences. (2025, May 20). Circadian Rhythms. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms
• Paddock, C. (2014, June 9). Sleep strengthens memory after learning. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/277956
• Paller, K. A., Creery, J. D., & Schechtman, E. (2021). Memory and Sleep: How Sleep Cognition Can Change the Waking Mind for the Better. Annual Review of Psychology, 72, 123–150. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-050815
• Rockstrom, M., Chen, L., Taishi, P., Nguyen, J. T., Gibbons, C. M., Veasey, S., & Krueger, J. M. (2018). Tumor necrosis factor alpha in sleep regulation. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 40, 69–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2017.10.005
• Summer, J. V. (2024, March 22). REM sleep: What it is and why it’s important. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep/rem-sleep
• Suni, E. (2018, October 26). Sleep & immunity: Can a lack of sleep make you sick? Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/how-sleep-affects-immunity
• Zhao, Y., Forst, C. V., Sayegh, C. E., Wang, I.-M., Yang, X., & Zhang, B. (2016). Molecular and genetic inflammation networks in major human diseases. Molecular bioSystems, 12(8), 2318–2341. https://doi.org/10.1039/c6mb00240d