Why do most Living things need SLEEP???

If you step back and think about it...as long as you have enough fule there is no need for any living thing to shut down and go to what we call sleep....we take it for granted...most dont give it a second thought but I did and I came to belive that we need sleep to recharge our soul...I have yet to hear a scientific explination for sleep...all i get is the detailed syptoms of what happens when you sleep....any ideas or theories would be greatly apreciated!!

Sweet dreams!!!

Simple....read this

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

I hate to tell you this but that is one of the little mysteries that haven't quite revealed itself yet.

I agree with this assessment.

I've noticed if you go without sleep your body starts to go haywire. Your mental facilities go mental (literally!). And you can't function without enough sleep.

reply to post by spyder550


Its NOT a mystery

Its well documented, and has been researched for decades.

reply to post by stayjersey


I thought it was because your brain needs rest. At least that's what I've been taught since a young age.

Everyone agrees that sleep is actually essential - nobody knows quite why

Originally posted by stayjersey
as long as you have enough fule there is no need for any living thing to shut down and go to what we call sleep....

Have you ever fueled up a machine and let it run continuously? Did it last 90 years?

My own theory is that at least in part.
Sleep allows the body to entrain and synchronize its biorhythm.
When the body stops consciously acting entrainment with the natural world around it takes effect.
Alternating between the conscious system and the unconscious system allows the sub conscious or higherself processing and attention power to work out solutions to physiological problems and day to day conundrums.
The amount of times I have slept on a problem to have the resolution present itself upon waking at least give subjective credence to this theory for me.

Imagine all the electro pulses being passed around the body, particularly the Brain.

Now imagine it being a rechargeable battery, well it's nothing like that.

Seriously though, it's the Brain that needs the rest.

IF I couldn't sleep and shut my brain off, I don't know what I would do! I honestly don't think I could bare it.

Evolutionarily it is stupid, a heal/repair on the go adaptation should have come about more often. Wasting valuable time sleeping, or endagering oneself to predators while sleeping. Just doesn't make great sense

Originally posted by Shirak
My own theory is that at least in part.
Sleep allows the body to entrain and synchronize its biorhythm.
When the body stops consciously acting entrainment with the natural world around it takes effect.
Alternating between the conscious system and the unconscious system allows the sub conscious or higherself processing and attention power to work out solutions to physiological problems and day to day conundrums.
The amount of times I have slept on a problem to have the resolution present itself upon waking at least give subjective credence to this theory for me.

I totally agree with this. Ever hear anyone say "Let me sleep on it" I believe when we sleep our body is sorting out everything we occurred while we are awake...for instance, We all have long stressful days and We try to resolve issues...but just cant do it sometimes..."sleep on it" and you might have the answer you were ooking for when you wake up...or just eliminate the stress completely. All I know for sure is...sleep is GOOD

Maybe if we slept more we would live longer and happier lives!

I find that people who run an alarm clock and push themselves to the end of the day until they collapse, only to get up and do it again and again do not live very long lives nor do they live happy lives.

I for one am an affirmed Napper! I love Naps! I should live to be 100!

You use less energy when sleeping.
Back in the days, before fire was invented, there was nothing to do at night, cause you couldent see s... So what else to do, than sleep

The way I see it, the brain is like a muscle, when used over and over it tears (not literally). So it needs its rest to repair itself and grow.

reply to post by Mianeye


or hide and seek????

My opinion: Our cells are constantly being damaged by various external sources. I think we need sleep because that is the primary manner in which cells can repair -- while at rest. We have a finite and constantly balanced (and imbalanced) chemistry going on in our bodies. The machine is running hard during waking, and when it is powered down, then the finite resources/chemistry go to work repairing cellular damage.

One example -- a person works out with weights. Tiny little muscular tears happen. Chemicals are released, and primarily during sleep do they begin to repair and thus build muscle.

reply to post by loves a conspiricy


Actually in the article you posted it says otherwise.

This prevalence not withstanding, why we sleep is not well understood. Since animals are particularly vulnerable while sleeping, there must be advantages that outweigh this considerable disadvantage.

While there is reasonable theory with measurable results, the overall purpose is not completely understood. Dreams are one big example of this. While there are many, many theories/explanations for dreams they cannot be fully explained.

Do not assume we know it all. Some of the most simple and basic functions of the human body are a mystery. Just go ask 3 different professors about the human brain and see how many opposing views you get.

Originally posted by argentus
My opinion: Our cells are constantly being damaged by various external sources. I think we need sleep because that is the primary manner in which cells can repair -- while at rest. We have a finite and constantly balanced (and imbalanced) chemistry going on in our bodies. The machine is running hard during waking, and when it is powered down, then the finite resources/chemistry go to work repairing cellular damage.

One example -- a person works out with weights. Tiny little muscular tears happen. Chemicals are released, and primarily during sleep do they begin to repair and thus build muscle.

Hmmmm....sounds familiar!!!