Before we delve into the consequences of a proper night's rest, ask yourself this question. "How many hours do you set aside time in your day for sleep?" If you are like most people, the answer would probably be, "I just sleep when I'm tired." Despite being one of the most important responsibilities we have towards our body, most people tend to neglect the importance of allocating sufficient time for sleep. In one of the scenes from the T.V. show Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the main character Jake Peralta replies to one of his coworkers by saying "I am way too sleep-deprived to deal with your negativity right now." This scene exemplifies some of the dangers of sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation causes a variety of mental and physical disabilities that range from having sporadic changes in mood, depression, and sometimes even death. Contrarily, getting sufficient rest at regular intervals has immense benefits such as stronger mental health, improvements in memory, and physical recovery.

▲ After 36 hours of sleep deprivation

▲ by Men's health journal

One of the most outstanding reasons for taking care of how and when you sleep is mental health. According to Harvard Health, sleep deprivation is one of the leading causes of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. And when it becomes more serious, sleep deprivation can cause severe mental issues such as hallucinations. The true horrors of sleep deprivation can be found in an experiment done on Peter Tripp. Peter was a radio broadcaster and he decided to stage a "wake-a-thon" where he would stay awake for nearly 201 hours in a glass booth in Times Square. According to Peter, he began hallucinating and saw shadowy figures dart back and forth underneath his desk. However, the problems did not stop there. He began showing signs of severe mental fatigue and eventually was fired from his job as a broadcaster. Ironically, Peter's efforts to excel at his job by sacrificing his need for sleep cost him the very thing he desired the most. Peter's actions should be a reminder to all working people that even if we trade in a couple of hours of sleep for a couple more hours of work, eventually it will cost us.

The second reason why we should treat sleep as a priority is due to the physical effects it has on our bodies. Almost all people will know what it feels like to wake up without enough sleep. Whether that was due to cramming for a test the next day or rushing to finish a project. Waking up without sufficient sleep is physically demanding. Our eyelids begin to feel heavy, simple tasks like holding cups become strenuous, and eventually, our bodies, whether we like it or not, shut down. This may not seem at all dangerous but, when a sleep-deprived person is behind the wheel of a car, lives are at stake. In South Korea, drowsy driving has caused nearly 1,550 fatalities and over 77,000 injuries annually. Not only that but drowsy driving has also caused over 100,000 car accidents in a year. In order to combat drowsy driving, the South Korean Department of Infrastructure has created rest stops where weary drivers can take short naps before heading back onto the road and have set up multiple signs urging drivers to stop if they are feeling sleepy. Because of the rest stops, car accidents by drowsy driving are limited by half this year.

▲ Rest stops to deter drowsy driving in South Korea

▲ by Sedaily journal

Lastly, Sleep severely hinders our memory. At the end of the day, when you go to sleep, the brain begins developing and organizing the day's memories so that they can be processed and accessed the next day. By pushing back the brain's ability to sort out and file our memories, we disallow the brain to perform a key function. In extreme cases, people who are sleep deprived forget basic things like where they left their phones or what bus to ride to go home. Things that were second nature to us become distant memories that we must focus on to remember.

In conclusion, despite how much our culture loves sleeping, many of us treat sleep as a nuisance. By getting the proper amount of sleep in a day we can vastly increase both our mental and physical capabilities and prevent other mental and physical problems. The Sleep Foundation recommends up to 8-10 hours of sleep a day for teenagers aged 14-17. Also, having habitual sleep patterns can immensely enhance the benefits of sleep. In short, an apple a day may keep the doctor away, but a good night's sleep can never be beaten.