Why Do We Actually Sleep?

It is exactly like asking why we eat. Sleep happens to be one of the most important aspects of our lives. We obviously need to recharge, every single day. Skipping out on sleep has a lot of very harmful effects on the human body. It is something that would lead to obesity and also a very huge coffee bill. We need to sleep for a number of reasons. That is exactly what I will be discussing in this article.

There are some very solid explanations available as to why we sleep, and we sleep, because we are tired. Down below, I have listed out some very good ideas and some theories as well. These theories have been supported by scientific study evidence.

1. The first one is at the inactivity theory. Inactivity happens to be one of the first theories about the necessity of sleep, and it has also gone by a lot of different names. It has been referred to as the adaptive theory and the evolutionary theory. Inactivity theory usually states that there is an evolutionary advantage to sleep and that sleep is something that helps people survive everyday life. If your body stays quiet and completely still during the dark hours of the night, people remain completely out of harm’s way. Sleepers are avoiding a lot of accidents and some other risks as well. However, this particular theory is not usually and widely accepted because it has a couple of flaws. Most of the prevalent ones are, if the creature is asleep, they are also not able to respond to potential threats. If you think about it, a mouse that is awake is always able to sleep better from a cat, than a sleeping mouse.
2. There is another theory that I would like to talk about; the energy conservation theory. As the name suggests, this has to do with conserving energy. Essentially speaking, with the energy conservation theory, animals obviously trade time for energy. They have less time awake, because they like to conserve all of their energy. When the humans slept, in the studies, the energy metabolism is usually reduced by around 10%, and the body temperature also drops.
3. The next one is called restorative theories. This theory is actually one of the most popular ones and has a lot of versions as well. If we are, generally speaking, the restorative theories usually assert that sleep actually restores something that is completely spent while we are awake. Sleep is usually a time that is used to rejuvenate and restore and also repair the mind and the body. This theory has a lot of essence and truth to it. It also helps our immune function. That is why, when you are sick, you are advised to sleep. It helps with muscle growth, protein synthesis, growth hormone release and muscle growth as well.