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Sleep
Why Do People Need Sleep?
Sleep helps people in many ways. Getting enough sleep makes it easier for our brains to think and learn new things. Sleep can help people from getting sick. Sleep also helps children’s bodies grow taller.
Getting enough sleep helps you to be in a good mood the next day. People who do not get enough sleep can feel grumpy and tired the next day.
How Much Sleep?
Children and adults need different amounts of sleep. Children need 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night. Adults need less sleep. Most adults need about 8 hours of sleep each night. Babies need the most sleep. A baby sleeps for about 16 hours every day.
Animals need sleep, too! Some animals need a lot of sleep. Brown bats sleep for about 20 hours each day. Giraffes sleep for only about 2 hours each day.
Dreams
Sleep gives our brains a rest. But our brains do not completely stop working while we sleep. One thing they do is dream. Scientists think everybody has dreams every night. Often, we do not remember our dreams when we wake up.
Both adults and children sometimes have scary dreams. Scary dreams are called nightmares. People often wake up right after a scary dream. Even adults can feel scared after waking up from a scary dream. It’s a good idea not to watch a scary movie right before bedtime!
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Brain Stretch: What is your typical bedtime routine? Following the same routine before bed each night can help get the body ready for sleep.
