People Spend About a Third of Their Time Asleep

Sleep takes up a larger share of life than any other single activity. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the US National Institutes of Health, states that sleep is an important part of your daily routine and that you spend about one-third of your time doing it. One-third of a 24-hour day is eight hours, and one-third of a week is more than two full days. The institute is clear that this time is not wasted. It says that quality sleep, and getting enough of it at the right times, is as essential to survival as food and water. Without sleep, according to the institute, you cannot form or maintain the pathways in your brain that let you learn.