Sleep. What is sleep. How do we sleep. Is it suspended animation. Sharks don't sleep. I just woke up, came back to 'life' How do you understand it?

[Bricealan]

We take 'sleep' as a natural function of living. I don't sleep soundly at times, and at times take sleep additives. How do you sleep? How do you understand how we sleep, and what the physical process is?

I am 'awake' now, barely, and COULD go back to sleep'.

What do you understand about sleeping?

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Actually, sharks DO sleep! While this may apply to specific species, what we know of as “sleep” as humans is pretty unique compared to the rest of the animal world. As far as I’m aware, the form of sleep as we humans do it where we are completely unaware of our surroundings is the deviation from the norm. Other species’ idea of sleep is probably closer to our idea of “resting our eyes” where you lay back with your eyes closed, resting, but still awake. It’s a pretty normal way to restore and reserve energy while also keeping your awareness in case a predator comes by. Sharks, however, are usually the top of the food chain in the ocean and cannot afford to stop moving or they won’t be able to breathe, so they move and sleep at the same time, just slower than normal. This can change depending on the surroundings and environment of most animal species, i. e. you often see pets in such a deep state of sleep that they dream because they know they’re safe from predators indoors. But human sleep is very unique compared to the rest of the living beings on earth.


Sleep is also very necessary for humans, we don’t know the full detail behind it but the ability to sleep and specifically dream is necessary for our overall mental and physical health. You can survive, at most, maybe one day without sleep without suffering any serious repercussions but afterwards you kind of start to go crazy. It looks a little different for everybody but insomnia-induced psychosis is very real and a little dangerous. The world record for staying awake, when last recorded, was 11 days. Guinness no longer accepts this record because too many people have either seriously hurt themselves or others because of this form of psychosis in the name of trying to break this record. And even if you can’t sleep, it’s important to rest. Even if sleep eludes you completely, you can just lay still with your eyes closed and your body will get the rest your brain needs to avoid psychosis. 20 minutes of laying still, breathing steady and keeping your eyes closed is physically equivalent to a 20 minute power nap.


…I probably know more about sleep than a normal person should.

[purplepoppy]

I'm a very light sleeper, it's like I'm still aware of the noises around me but give no thought to them. Its like being immersed in a soup of sound and darkness interspersed with dreams.

Sleeps just down time so your body can repair itself, physically and mentally. Its like when you scrunch up something and over time it relaxes and returns to its proper shape.

[exitseven]

It is the body renewing itself. It is a metabolic process that heals and produces substances that the body uses up during the day. There is a mental com. ponent as well.

[exitseven]

Thanks for the MHO😎

[Dongie]

I never want to go to sleep but when I do it's soooo good. And upon awakening I want to go back and sleep for a long time, but not forever.

[jazzy34]

Sleep is a state of consciousness in which our bodies rest, rejuvenate, and repair. Without this crucial state, we would be in constant of state of exhaustion and dysfunction. We literally would die if we didn’t sleep.

[Jennz6]

I’m going to sleep 💤 now because I’m working this afternoon 😴

[Bricealan]

@jennz6 Sleep tight, sweetie. Sweet dreams

[Anonymous]

The body regenerates during sleep, it's healthy, and you can always have nice dreams.