I bet the answer is obvious. If I had to guess it’s because the brain needs to rest.
In: Biology
While you’re awake your brain is filling up with waste products from metabolism going on, which is actually a lot of metabolism.
When you sleep the blood circulation in the brain increases, capillaries dilate and blood flow increases and gets in to flush out all the crap. But this process inhibits the brain’s ability to function in a conscious state so you lose consciousness through it.
Some animals like dolphins have the ability to shut off one half of the brain independently from the other – but we, and most land mammals, don’t have this. The performance trade off might just not be worth it on land vs in the ocean.
Yes you’re essentially right, but when your body enters a sleep cycle there are restorative processes that happen throughout the body, including the brain. Much of the cell repair happens during these sleep cycles. Which is why if you don’t have good restorative sleep you age poorly. Sleep is ultra important for your health.
In addition to the other excellent answers here, if you’ve ever had a concussion you’re likely familiar with the special kind of fatigue that comes with it, even from something as simple as listening to someone talk or watching TV. Your brain does a TON of work even when you’re just sitting around, even if it’s not at all obvious.
Latest Answers