sleep extension

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Definition - What does sleep extension mean?

Sleep extension is the act of prolonging rest beyond the average sleep time as an effective way to improve mental health, bolster motor responses, and promote intracellular growth and repair. Medical evidence suggests that the physiological effects related to sleep extension can be conducive for individuals where alertness, concentration, memory retention, and balance and coordination are integral factors to job performance.

SureHire explains sleep extension

Although mounting research is inconclusive, the health benefits of sleep extension can be a legitimate means to avoid sleep loss for many people. Control group studies draw a comparative analysis between individuals who extend their hours of sleep with marked improvement against their counterparts who receive inadequate rest. Sleep deprivation carries etiological implications that affect metabolic functions and processes. For example, disrupting insulin secretion can lead to diabetes.

A lack of sleep can undermine cognition, an essential faculty of the brain responsible for assimilating and retrieving information combined with modulating psychological states where depression, impulsivity, and paranoia are problematic. Moreover, sleep loss contributes to symptoms of chronic fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness, and mood swings that can prove detrimental to individuals who operate commercial vehicles, jeopardizing personal and public safety. Many employees lose sleep to high job demands, but individuals can adopt a routine of sleep extension to compensate for sleep loss from busy work schedules.

Sleep is a physiological necessity that helps maintain the interdependent functionality of organic systems in the body. While sleep extension can be an ancillary method for enhancing cognitive abilities, motor performance, and recuperation time from injuries, statistical data continues to evolve on its merits. But, control group participants demonstrate increased energy levels, mental acuity, and a better quality of life in conducting personal and professional obligations as a result of sleep extension habits.

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