The Idea of an Essay, Volume 2

147 REM sleep. When deprived of all sleep stages, they live only about three weeks.” (19). Even though such functional decline manifests itself differently in humans, it still poses a serious danger. Epstein describes this negative trend in saying, “Lack of sleep is directly linked to poor health” (5). In other words, inadequate amounts of sleep place individuals in a state of risk, both mentally and physically. Thus, the effects of inadequate sleep over time lead one to an overall lower quality of life. The fact of the matter is this: sleep remains one of the daily activities in which everyone participates to some degree. Through the progression of technology, a more effective means of studying the brain has added several new dimensions to the study of sleep. Scientists not only look at what specifically occurs during this process, such as the five stages, but they now look beyond to discover the biological activities associated with each stage. Identifying such information enables researchers to improve society’s understanding of the importance of sleep and its influence on day-to-day living as a whole.  Works Cited Bracko, Mike. “Sleep: The Athlete’s Steroid.” IDEA Fitness Journal 10.10 (2013): 44-50. Web. 14 Feb. 2009. Epstein, Lawrence, and Steven Mardon. The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep. NewYork: McGraw- Hill, 2007. Print. Harvard Medical School. “Sleep, Learning, and Memory.” Healthy Sleep. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. Judd, Sandra. Sleep Disorders Sourcebook: Basic Consumer Health Information about Sleep Disorders, Including Insomnia, Sleep Apnea and Snoring, Jet Lag and Other Circadian Rhythm Disorders, Narcolepsy, and Parasomnias, Such as Sleepwalking and Sleep Paralysis, and Feat. 3rd ed. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 2010. Print. Lombardo, Gerard. Sleep to Save Your Life: The Complete Guide to Living Longer and Healthier Through Restorative Sleep. NY: Collins, 2005. Print.