Have you ever thought: “Okay, just five minutes more, and then I will go to sleep”, taking your cellphone in your hands? After that, perhaps, you spent several hours in the social nets and woke up, heavy headed? You are not alone, as almost half of the Americans has sleeping problems, and about third of them considers themselves evening persons and dislike any morning activities.
This is a sad statistic, as sleep deprivation has a detrimental effect on the human body. Our bodies are given to us by the God, and it is our responsibility to care about them. A sound body means a sound spirit, and a person is much more effective after a good sleep. As a student, I feel that it is much more difficult to concentrate on topic after surfing the internet late at night. It is also confirmed by the researches: for example, it is proved that chronic sleep deprivation leads to the worsening of memory, concentration, decision-making and other complex activities (Guraieb-Chanin et al., 2017). Thus, sleep deprivation makes us a worse version of ourselves, while we should preserve what God gave us and try to self-improve in order to become better persons.
I will validate this statement by the statistics concerning sleep deprivation and by explaining the importance of healthy sleeping. Let us take a closer look on this topic that is very important. First of all, sleep deprivation is closely connected with neurological disorders (Williams, 2017). It also can cause such problems as hypertension, diabetes, depression, anxiety, metabolic outcomes and emotional instability. If the outcomes affect not only our body, but also our emotional state, then it means that we can become less pleasant persons to communicate with. We can easily get involved into conflicts and can be easier upset. It contradicts living in harmony with God, as when the person is irritated and moody, it is more difficult to be virtuous and to be a source of joy for others.
This brings me to my second point: despite the importance of sleeping, almost half of Americans fails to have enough sleep. This can be caused by the work, as shift work, work in military or medical fields is often linked with insomnia (Williams, 2017). Caffeine also can be a reason of sleeping problems, as it changes the circadian rhythms in the human body. Besides, using the gadgets before sleeping also can lead to late going to bed and, consequently, to sleep debt. Some people have to take care of their children, which also leads to the lack of sleep. However, if there are no sufficient reasons for breaking the regime, it is much better to try to discipline yourself and to sleep about eight hours a day. A person who sleeps well can achieve goals and to communicate with other people much more effectively. Sleep makes life more joyful, as the body becomes healthier, and the mind is concentrated on the right things.
This brings us to the next point: the According to 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, “you are God’s temple, and God’s spirit dwells in you” (English Standard Version Bible). Thus, God wants us to take care of our body, because the state of the body influences the mind. If the person is focused on the negative sides of life, for example, on the diseases caused by sleep deprivation, it can be more difficult to feel grateful to God for life and the whole creation.
Summing up, I can say that sleep deprivation is a common problem in the U.S. which is harmful both for the body and the mind. People should discipline themselves and organize their day in the way they would get enough time to have rest. As long as the body is the temple for the spirit, I encourage you to change your sleep habits. It will make your life much more pleasant, and you will become a more efficient and healthier person.
References
Guraieb-Chahin, P., Cadena-Fernández, A., Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez, L., Valdés-Ferrer, S. I., Gulias-Herrero, A., & Cantú-Brito, C. G. (2021). Cognitive effects of chronic sleep deprivation in internal medicine residents. Revista Mexicana de Neurociencia, 22(2), 51–55. Web.
Williams, L. (2017).Sleep Deprivation: Global Prevalence, Dangers and Impacts on Cognitive Performance. Nova Science Publishers, Inc. English Standard Version Bible. 1 Corinthians 3:16. Web.