Sleep Like Your Life Depends on It—Because It Does...Sleep and Health: The importance of Sleep

06-08-2025

By Dr. Howard Friedman MD | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps | Internal Medicine | HHOM LLC

Wrapped in stillness, the body begins its healing—because sleep is not escape, it's essential repair

THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP FOR HEALTH.

When shadows fall and silence grows,

The body's wisdom softly flows.

A time to mend, to dream, to feel,

Repairing wounds we cannot heal.

No potion, pill, or magic deep—

Can match the grace of restful sleep.

---Dr. Howard Friedman MD

Sleep is not a luxury. It’s not optional. It is a fundamental, biological necessity—an ancient, universal state found in nearly all living creatures. That universality tells us something profound: sleep is essential to life itself. Sleep and Immune Health: Why Sleep Matters More Than You Think, it is the importance of sleep.

Medically, we define sleep as a naturally recurring, reversible state of reduced consciousness and external awareness. While we’ve mapped the stages and physiological shifts of sleep with precision, the deeper “why” remains a mystery. Why do we need to surrender a third of our lives to this state? Why does evolution insist we do?

What we do know is this: sleep is not passive. It is an active process, orchestrating critical functions that protect and restore the body. For most of the night, our nervous system shifts into parasympathetic mode—heart rate and breathing slow, and the body begins its work of repair. About 25% of sleep is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, during which brain activity spikes, sympathetic nervous system dominance returns, and vivid dreams unfold. Since REM cycles tend to cluster in the early morning, this may explain why some people experience heart attacks or angina upon waking—the body, for a moment, is running hot.

Sleep is highly individual. The number of hours needed varies by age and person. But quality matters as much as quantity. Restorative sleep refreshes the brain, fine-tunes hormones, supports memory and learning, and—crucially—boosts the immune system.

As a physician, I believe that might be sleep’s most vital role.

Our immune system is an elegant, complex force. It’s how we survive in a world full of threats. But when it malfunctions, inflammation arises—and from that, many of the chronic diseases we face autoimmune conditions, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, even some cancers. The seed of these illnesses may differ in expression, but the root often lies in immune dis-regulation. And sleep, I believe, is one of our best tools for preserving that delicate balance.

Let’s take a closer look at what happens while we sleep:

·       Stage N1: Light sleep. This is the bridge between wakefulness and rest. Hypnic jerks or fleeting images are common.

·       Stage N2: Slightly deeper sleep. Body temperature drops, breathing and heart rate slow, muscles relax.

·       Stage N3: Deep sleep. This is when the body gets to work—repairing tissue, consolidating energy, and most importantly, boosting the immune system. Brain waves slow to their lowest frequencies.

·       REM Sleep: Brain activity spikes again. Dreams become vivid. Muscles are effectively paralyzed. This is when emotional processing and memory consolidation may occur.

·       Waking: We return from the cycle, hopefully restored.

We may not fully understand why sleep is essential, but we know it is. Along with diet and exercise, sleep is one of the three pillars of health under our control to reduce inflammation and increase resilience.

If your sleep is broken, fragmented, or insufficient, don’t ignore it. Seek help. Prioritize it. Protect it.

At Howard’s House of Medicine, we believe in listening, analyzing, and advocating for the fundamentals of health. Sleep is one of them. We’re grateful you stopped by and honored if any of our words help you think differently about your health. Awareness is the first step to healing.

Sleep well tonight. Your life depends on it.

—Dr. Howard Friedman MD

Board-Certified | Internal Medicine | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps

Founder of Howard’s House of Medicine (HHOM LLC)

https://www.hhomllc.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is sleep considered one of the pillars of health, alongside diet and exercise?

A: Because it is foundational to how the body repairs itself, restores balance, and strengthens the immune system. While diet fuels and exercise conditions, sleep is the time the body actually rebuilds. During deep sleep stages, hormones recalibrate, inflammation subsides, and cellular repair occurs. Without quality sleep, even the best nutrition and fitness plans fall short in preventing disease and preserving vitality.

Q: What happens inside the body during deep sleep and REM sleep?

A: In deep sleep (Stage N3), the body slows to its lowest gear—heart rate, breathing, and brain waves all drop—creating an ideal environment for tissue repair, energy restoration, and immune activation. During REM sleep, the brain revs up again, processing emotions and consolidating memories while the body remains still. Both stages serve different but equally crucial roles in maintaining physical and mental health.

Q; What are the long-term consequences of poor sleep on the immune system?

A: Chronic sleep deprivation weakens the immune system, heightens inflammation, and disrupts the natural balance between defense and repair. This imbalance is linked to a rise in autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular conditions, metabolic disorders, and even cancer. Over time, poor sleep doesn't just make us tired—it accelerates aging and increases vulnerability to chronic illness.