LETTERS: Many students failed to get enough sleep in the last semester as they needed to finish their assignments on time.
Students burnt the midnight oil, with some sleeping for less than four hours per day. The 2018 Global Relaxation report said 51 per cent of adults worldwide didn't get enough sleep.
Sleep is a basic human need that allows our body and brain to rest and recharge. Seven to eight hours of sleep can be considered as sufficient.
However, as we get older, we sleep less because we have work to do.
Wonderful things happen to our brain and body when we get a good night's sleep.
Sleep can improve our learning and memory abilities. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine said: "Students getting adequate amounts of sleep performed better on memory and motor tasks than did students deprived of sleep."
Sleep also has the power to improve our immune system. In a recent study, scientists said that they discovered that good sleep could boost the T cells in our body that fight off infection.
Moreover, a good night's sleep has the power to promote mental and emotional stability.
Without adequate sleep, your mood is affected.
Professor Dr Laura Palagini, a psychiatrist at the Sleep Disorder Outpatients Clinic, University of Pisa, Italy, said a lack of quality sleep could impair our emotions, which may lead to mental health issues.
Of the many sleep disorders, insomnia is a risk factor of depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety.
Sleep can be a powerful secret to younger looking skin.
Beauty sleep is a real thing because our skin uses sleep hours to heal itself from the day's damage. So that's why we may sometimes wake up looking fresh and rosy.
So go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time. It's time to prioritise our sleep for good health.
NURAMALINA AFANDI
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons.), UiTM, Puncak Alam, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times