What Happens When You

Sleep?
Updated December 22, 2023

Eric SuniStaff Writer

Ealena CallenderOBGYN
Fact-Checked
Up-to-Date

Table of Contents

 How Does Sleep Change During the Night?

 What Happens to Your Brain and Body During Sleep?
 What Happens When You Have Problems Sleeping?

When you sleep, your body undergoes a series of changes that enable the
rest that is vital to your overall health. Sleep allows the brain and body to
slow down and engage in processes of recovery, promoting better physical
and mental performance the next day and over the long-term.

What happens when you don’t sleep is that these fundamental processes
are short-circuited, affecting thinking, concentration, energy levels, and
mood. As a result, getting the sleep you need — seven to nine hours for
adults and even more for children and teens — is crucial.

What happens during sleep, including how distinct stages of sleep unfold,
demonstrates the complexity of sleep and its importance for our well-being.

How Does Sleep Change During the Night?

During a normal sleep period, you progress through four to five sleep
cycles. Each sleep cycle is made up of four individual sleep stages.

The four stages of sleep are further broken down into two categories: rapid
eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. These categories are important
because what happens during REM sleep is dramatically different from
what happens during non-REM stages.

The first three stages of sleep are composed of non-REM activity. Stage 1
is short, representing the act of dozing off and transitioning into sleep. In
Stage 2 the body and mind slow down as you settle into sleep. It’s easiest
to be awoken during these first two stages.

In Stage 3, also known as deep sleep, the body is in recovery mode,

slowing down even further. At the same time, overall brain activity slows
and shows a tell-tale pattern of pulses of activity Trusted SourceNational
Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for
Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing
access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source that are
believed to help prevent unwanted awakenings.

The fourth stage is REM sleep. During REM periods, brain activity shoots
back up to levels similar to when you’re awake – which explains why REM
is associated with the most intense dreams. While breathing and heart rate
increase during REM sleep, most muscles are paralyzed, which keeps us
from acting out those vivid dreams.

Each sleep cycle takes between 70 and 120 minutes Trusted

SourceDivision of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical SchoolA production of
WGBH Educational Foundation and the Harvard Medical School Division of
Sleep Medicine.View Source . In the first sleep cycles of the night, more
time is spent in non-REM sleep. The majority of REM sleep happens during
the second half of the night. The progression of sleep stages and cycles in
one sleep period is known as sleep architecture.

What Happens to Your Brain and Body During Sleep?

Virtually every part of the body Trusted SourceNational Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)NINDS aims to seek
fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use
that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.View
Source experiences notable changes during sleep. Upon falling asleep,
thousands of neurons in the brain switch from waking to sleeping
state Trusted SourceNational Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe
National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health
by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source ,
sending signals throughout the body.

While the biological role of sleep still isn’t fully understood, research
demonstrates that it reinforces the cardiovascular and immune systems
and helps regulate metabolism. What happens during sleep can be seen in
notable changes in core bodily processes.

Breathing

Breathing slows during non-REM sleep with respiration reaching its lowest
rates during deep sleep stage three. Breathing ramps up and may become
irregular during REM sleep.
Heart Rate

As with breathing, heart rate begins to slow during Stage 1 and reaches its
slowest pace during Stage 3. On the other hand, during REM sleep, the
pulse quickens to nearly the same rate as when awake.

Muscle Tone

Muscles gradually relax during each stage of non-REM sleep, and the
body’s total energy expenditure drops Trusted SourceNational Library of
Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology
Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical
and genomic information.View Source . During the REM stage, most
muscles are paralyzed in a condition known as atonia. This keeps the legs
and arms from flailing in response to dream content. Respiratory and eye
muscles stay active, though, and the darting of the eyes behind closed
eyelids is the inspiration for the name rapid eye movement sleep.

The Matt Walker PodcastSleepFoundation.org’s Scientific Advisor

What is Sleep?

Listen onBuzzsprout

Brain Activity

When measured during sleep, brain waves show clear patterns associated
with each sleep stage. In the early parts of non-REM sleep, brain waves
slow down considerably; however, in Stage 2 and Stage 3, there are
numerous quick bursts of brain activity.

In REM sleep, brain activity accelerates, showing markedly different types

of brain waves. Heightened brain activity is why REM sleep is known as the
stage most associated with vivid dreaming.
REM sleep is thought to enable critical cognitive abilities Trusted
SourceDivision of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical SchoolA production of
WGBH Educational Foundation and the Harvard Medical School Division of
Sleep Medicine.View Source , including memory consolidation, but non-
REM sleep, even with reduced brain activity, is also believed to play a role
in facilitating proper brain function while awake.

Dreaming

Dreaming is most prevalent and intense during REM sleep, but it can occur
during any sleep stage Trusted SourceNational Library of Medicine,
Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information
advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and
genomic information.View Source . That said, dreams that happen during
non-REM and REM sleep tend to show different patterns Trusted
SourceNational Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National
Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by
providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source with
REM dreams often being more fanciful, immersive, or bizarre.

Hormone Levels

Sleep and the body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, play an important
role in regulating the production of numerous including:

 Melatonin, which helps promote sleep

 Growth hormone, which supports bone and muscle development as
well as metabolism
 Cortisol, which is part of the body’s stress response system
 Leptin and ghrelin, which help control appetite

Hormone levels fluctuate during different sleep stages, and quality of sleep
may also affect daytime hormone production.

What Happens When You Have Problems Sleeping?

When you have sleeping problems, you may not get the restorative benefits
that come from what normally happens during sleep. The specific effects
depend on the type of sleeping problem and its cause.
What Happens if You Have Insomnia?

People with insomnia have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep for
as long as they want to, which means that they get insufficient total sleep.
As a result, they may not progress through enough sleep cycles to get
proper rest, leading to daytime sleepiness as well as negative effects on
mood and thinking.

Sleep deprivation, which often occurs with insomnia, can throw off the
balance of sleep architecture. For example, after going without enough
sleep, people often experience a REM sleep rebound Trusted
SourceNational Center for Biotechnology InformationThe National Center
for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing
access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source , spending a
disproportionate amount of time in REM sleep. This can cause too much
brain activity, which in turn can leave you feeling irritable and may worsen
mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

What Happens During Sleep if You Have a Sleep Disorder?

Sleep disorders can negatively affect what happens when you sleep. For
example, restless leg syndrome or disrupted breathing from sleep
apnea can cause frequent awakenings that interrupt the normal sleep
cycle, reducing restorative sleep. Circadian rhythm sleep-wake
disorders can lead to insufficient sleep or abnormal sleep architecture.

What Happens When You Sleep Too Much?

Hypersomnia is a condition marked by sleeping too much. People with

hypersomnia often experience excessive daytime sleepiness and may find
it hard to stay awake when they need to. Studies indicate that hypersomnia
is associated with changes in sleep architecture Trusted SourceNational
Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for
Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing
access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source , such as a
reduction in deep sleep and an increase in NREM sleep, which may affect
overall sleep quality.
What Happens in Your Body and Brain
While You Sleep
Sleep isn't a luxury. Skimping on zzz's compromises everything from your immune system to
your memory.
Evidence suggests that if you stay up all night learning something new, your brain's not going
to retain that information the same way it would have if you'd gotten a full night of
sleep.John Brecher

Oct. 9, 2017, 9:02 PM IST / Updated Oct. 10, 2017, 7:00 PM IST
By Sarah DiGiulio

You might think of sleep as the negative time in your day when nothing on
your to-do list gets done. Your brain and several other systems in your body
see it quite differently.

“Your brain is actually very active during sleep doing important things —
it’s not just resting,” says Carl W. Bazil, MD, PhD, the Caitlin Tynan Doyle
Profesor of Neurology at Columbia University Medical Center. “And if you
don’t get sleep you don’t function on a number of levels the way you
should.”

(Everything from learning to your mood to your risk of getting sick and
becoming obese can get thrown off kilter.)

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Physiologically sleep is defined as a state our bodies enter into during

which brain wave activity changes and our nervous system is less reactive to
external stimuli (i.e. we temporarily leave consciousness). But our sleep is
not constant throughout the night. We actually cycle through four distinct
sleep phases multiple times (five if you count “awake” as one stage), Bazil,
who is also Director of the Division of Epilespy and Sleep at Columbia
University College of Physicians and Surgeons, tells NBC News BETTER.

There are two stages of light sleep. The lightest is the stage of sleep you’re
likely in if you nod off during a lecture when consciousness is decreased,
but the brain is still processing some information around you (sometimes
hearing your name or another stimulus will jolt you awake). Intermediate
light sleep is slightly deeper, which is harder to awaken from, Bazil
explains.

Your brain is actually very active during sleep doing important things — it’s
not just resting.

Deep slow-wave sleep is the next stage of sleep. This is the deepest, most
restful, and most restorative stage of sleep, when it’s hardest to awaken. If
you do get woken up during this stage of sleep you’re likely to feel groggy.
And finally, there’s REM sleep (short for “rapid eye movement sleep”),
which is when we dream. Our bodies tend to spend more time in restful
slow wave sleep earlier in the night when our bodies and minds are most
tired. Later in the night we tend to spend more time in REM sleep.

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There are important electrical and chemical processes that happen in the
brain and throughout the body during all the stages of sleep. Here’s how
they affect our health:

Sleep is prime time for learning and memory

One of the most active parts of the body during sleep is the brain, Bazil
says. There are pronounced changes in the electrical activity of the brain
during sleep, which the evidence suggests is a result of the brain’s trillions
of nerve cells literally rewiring themselves. This rewiring, which happens
during deep, slow-wave sleep, is how we process and are thus able to retain
new information we may have learned throughout the day, Bazil explains.
“Your brain is making a map of the information,” he says — “making new
connections and breaking other ones.”

That means skipping sleep to cram for an exam or important presentation

isn’t doing you any favors, Bazil says. The evidence suggests that if you
spend all night trying to learn something new and miss a few hours of sleep
to do so, your brain’s not going to retain that information the same way it
would have if you’d gotten a full night of sleep, he says. “Your brain really
needs to process that information, which you really only do when you’re
asleep.”

Sleep also helps keep our attention and focus sharp, Bazil adds. We all
(likely) know the “fuzzy” feeling that results after a night of too little sleep,
especially if you’re trying to pay attention to a lecture on a complicated
topic or focus on a complex task. But it’s also important to note that chronic
sleep debt accumulates and research shows the attention and focus deficits
caused by sleep loss actually accumulate over time, Bazil explains.

If you spend all night trying to learn something new and miss a few hours of
sleep to do so, your brain’s not going to retain that information the same
way it would have if you’d gotten a full night of sleep.

One study followed a group of individuals who got six hours of sleep for two
weeks. Their attention got progressively worse over that time period and by
the end their attention was nearly equivalent to individuals who had been
awake for two nights of getting no sleep.

“It’s important for people to know that you can get by with a poor night of
sleep,” Bazil says. “But most people need around eight hours of sleep [a
night] and if you’re chronically not getting that sleep you need, your
performance is going to deteriorate.”

Poor sleep makes you moody

Think cranky toddler in need of a nap. We all know that sleep (and lack of
it) affects mood and irritability. But brain-imaging studies have shown that
a good night’s sleep helps our brain regulate mood and cope with whatever
the next day brings. Conversely, insufficient sleep boosts a part of the brain
that’s known to be affected by depression, anxiety and other psychiatric
disorders.

“Without sleep, the brain had reverted back to more primitive patterns of
activity — in that it was unable to put emotional experiences into
context and produced controlled, appropriate responses,” the study’s senior
author Matthew Walker, Director of University of California Berkeley’s
Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory, said in a statement in 2007 (when
that research was first published).

Chronic insomnia has also been linked to increased risk of developing a

mood disorder, including anxiety or depression. Another study found that
after a week of getting just four-and-a-half hours of sleep per night,
individuals reported worse moods (in terms of feeling stressed, angry, sad
or mentally exhausted).

Not getting sleep can literally make you sick

Outside of the brain, there’s a lot changing throughout the rest of the body
during sleep, too. Our heart rate and body temperatures drop, our
breathing rate slightly decreases and becomes very regular (at least during
most stages of sleep), and kidney function slows down (which is why you
typically don’t feel the urge to pee as frequently during sleep as when you’re
awake).

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And at the same time, other systems in the body ramp way up during sleep.
There’s an increase in the release of growth hormones during sleep (this is
when kids get taller, our skin cells regenerate, and our hair gets longer), as
well as the hormones that regulate appetite. Sleep is also when our muscles
repair damage (and regular wear and tear) from throughout the day.

Sleep also plays an integral role in regulating the body’s immune system,
which is responsible for fighting off all sorts of problems from the common
cold to more serious chronic problems like cancer. (Research suggests that
the body produces fewer infection-fighting antibodies when sleep
deprived.) Studies have shown that individuals are more likely to catch a
cold virus when you’re sleep deprived and that vaccines can be less effective
after a poor night of sleep.

And thanks to all these important roles that sleep plays in the body,
chronically getting poor sleep can have some pretty serious
consequences. Cutting sleep short by even just two to three hours a night
over time has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, hypertension and premature death.

“There is definitive evidence that food choices are metabolically less

favorable at night,” Kristin Eckel-Mahan, PhD, Assistant Professor at the
Center for Metabolic and Degenerative Diseases at The University of Texas
Health Science Center of Houston, tells NBC News BETTER. “And there is
also evidence that the same number of calories eaten at the wrong time can
induce increases in body weight, particularly in fat mass.”

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Part of this has to do with the fact that insulin sensitivity fluctuates during
the day — meaning our bodies actually metabolize food differently at
different times of the day, she says. And though there’s a lot more research
that’s needed to fully understand the connection between sleep and
metabolism, it’s clear that they’re connected, she says — and likely has a lot
to do with why people who report getting worse sleep are more likely to be
overweight.
The bottom line, says Bazil: sleep is not a waste of time and you can’t get
away without it.

When it comes to staying healthy, people pay a lot of attention to nutrition

and physical activity, Bazil says — which are both very important. “But I
would put sleep on that same level.”
What Happens When You Sleep?
11 Automatic Body Changes

Written by: Derek Hales

Updated On: December 19, 2022
While you sleep, your body recovers from stress, produces hormones, and
builds new tissue. At the same time, your metabolism slows down and your
heart rate decreases. The brain undergoes quite a lot of changes, too.

There’s a reason why health experts recommend at least eight hours of

sleep per night.

The moment you hit the sack, your brain and body work together to
balance your hormones, restore your energy levels, and build new neural
pathways. These processes have a direct impact on your mood, immune
system, and overall health.

Eager to find out more? Here’s what happens in your body and brain when
you sleep—and why it matters.

Understanding the Stages of Sleep

First of all, let’s take a quick look at the two stages of sleep: REM (rapid
eye movement) and non-REM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. Your brain
and body undergo a number of changes during each of these phases.

 When you close your eyes and fall asleep, your muscles relax and
eye movements slow down. At the same time, your brain becomes
less responsive to its surroundings.
This stage is called non-REM sleep and accounts for about 80% of your
total sleep time, explains the Sleep Disorder Support Foundation (SDSF).

 Next is REM sleep, a state characterized by rapid eye movements,

increased heart rate, and higher brain activity. Your muscles become
stiffer, blood pressure goes up, and breathing becomes irregular and
shallow. This phase makes up around 20% of total sleep time. That’s
when most dreams occur.
Non-REM sleep has three distinct phases, namely N1, N2, and N3. During
these stages, your body makes the transition from wakefulness to deep
sleep.

Stage N1
Stage N1 accounts for approximately 5% of total sleep time, notes the
SDSF. That’s about five to 10 minutes, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
While in this state, you’ll experience the following:

 Eye movement, heartbeat, brain wave activity, and muscle activity

slow down
 Your muscles relax, but they may twitch every now and then
 Breathing rate slightly decreases
Stage N2
Stage N2 makes up about 55% of sleep time. During this phase, your eye
movement slows. There’s also a gradual decrease in brain wave activity,
heart rate, and body temperature. Your blood pressure may drop as well.

Stage N3
Stage N3, which accounts for 20% of total sleep time, offers the deepest
and most restful sleep. This phase is characterized by the following
changes:

 A marked decrease in blood pressure

 Slower breathing
 Increased blood flow to the muscles
 Decreased body temperature
 An increase in delta brain waves
 Your body produces hormones, builds bone and muscle tissue, and
restores its energy
During the night, your body goes through both non-REM and REM sleep
and then starts all over. A full sleep cycle lasts anywhere between 90 and
110 minutes, says the Cleveland Clinic.

As the night progresses, the period of REM sleep increases, while deep
(non-REM) sleep becomes shorter.

What Happens When You Sleep?

Now that you understand the changes you’re going through while asleep,
you may be wondering why it matters.
For starters, both your brain and body are active during
sleep.
The mental and physical processes described above allow you to learn new
things, process emotions, and consolidate memories. They also promote
cellular regeneration and keep your immune system strong.

Sleep also regulates your mood, appetite, and alertness, points out the
SDSF. For example, the pituitary gland produces growth hormone (GH) at
night. GH plays a key role in muscle growth and repair, metabolism, and
bone development.

So, what happens when you sleep? Let’s find out.

#1. Your Brain Consolidates Memories and Stores

Information
Human and animal brains remain active during sleep, forming long-term
memories. The information acquired throughout the day is stored in the
hippocampus and then transferred to the cortex, according to Science
Daily.
Deep sleep, in particular, contributes to learning. However, this doesn’t
mean your brain stores every single piece of information.

First, it evaluates information based on future expectations, such as how

useful you’ll find it at a later date, and then retains the most relevant
memories, explains Science Daily.

#2. Sleep Activates Immunological Memory

Like your brain, the immune system can form memories while you’re
asleep. This process is known as immunological memory and has the role
to protect you against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

Sleep activates certain immune responses that allow your body to

recognize and fight harmful agents, notes a 2013 research paper published
in Physiological Reviews.

Simply put, if you are exposed to bacteria or viruses, memory T and B cells
will remember that information. As a result, your immune system will
respond more rapidly to the threat, which in turn may lower your risk of
disease.
Sleeping well benefits the immune system
A good night’s sleep also has beneficial effects on the formation of
adaptive immune responses.

In one study, subjects who slept normally after receiving a vaccine had two
times more antigen-specific antibodies four weeks later compared with
those who didn’t sleep the first night after getting the vaccine, reports the
above review.

#3. Hormones Flood Your Body

The human body produces several key hormones at night, including
melatonin, ghrelin, leptin, and growth hormone.

Ghrelin and leptin, for example, regulate appetite. Leptin induces satiety,
while ghrelin stimulates appetite and food intake.
Their levels in the bloodstream increase during sleep, according to a 2011
review published in Endocrine Development.

Considering these aspects, it’s not surprising that obesity and sleep
deprivation are strongly connected. As the researchers note, children and
adults who don’t get enough rest are more likely to gain weight in the long
run. The risk of obesity is highest among those who sleep less than six
hours per night.

Your body also releases growth hormone (GH) during the night.
GH reaches peak levels at the onset of deep sleep.

This hormone regulates protein, fat, and glucose metabolism, as well as

insulin secretion and bone growth. Due to its role in energy metabolism, it
has a direct impact on body composition, or fat-to-muscle ratio.

Melatonin, another hormone secreted during sleep, regulates your body’s

internal clock. When produced in adequate amounts, it makes it easier to
fall asleep and promotes quality rest.

#4. Your Stress Levels Decrease

Cortisol, the so-called stress hormone, affects your mood, alertness, and
mental focus. It also plays a role in metabolism, digestion, and immune
function.

Sleeping can help reduce stress levels

Daily stress, traumatic events, and other factors can skyrocket cortisol
levels, leading to depression, anxiety, and poor health. One way to bring
them down is to get more rest.

As Healthline notes, cortisol levels drop around midnight

and increase around 9 A.M.
Sleep deprivation may cause your body to produce more cortisol during the
day. This may increase your risk of weight gain, memory problems, heart
disease, and mental disorders.

High cortisol levels also trigger inflammation, which is a contributing

factor to chronic pain, cardiovascular problems, Alzheimer’s disease, and
other illnesses.

#5. Your Immune System Releases Anti-

Inflammatory Cytokines
Adequate sleep not only boosts immunological memory, but may also
reduce the inflammatory response.

When you’re asleep, your immune system releases

cytokines that fight inflammation, pathogens, and
infectious diseases, explains the Mayo Clinic.

Clinical research shows that sleep deprivation may increase the risk of
infectious or inflammatory diseases. When you don’t get enough sleep,
your body becomes less efficient at fighting bacteria and other disease-
causing microorganisms.

Improper rest also triggers low-grade inflammation. Over time, this

condition can become chronic and take a toll on your health.

#6. Your Body Repairs Damaged Tissues

Sleep is primarily a restorative process, points out the College of William &
Mary. During the night, your body repairs cells, tissues, and organs while
producing testosterone and other hormones that aid in recovery.

Elite athletes hit the sack early to make sure they get enough sleep—and
for good reason. A good night’s sleep allows them to recover faster from
training and perform at their peak.
LeBron James, for example, sleeps about 12 hours per night. Other top
athletes, such as Usain Bolt and Steve Nash, get at least 10 hours of rest
per day. Maria Sharapova sleeps eight to 10 hours each night, while
Lindsey Vonn gets at least nine hours of shuteye.

Adequate sleep allows you to recover from mental and physical stress.
Your body uses this time interval to build and repair muscle, synthesize
protein, and restore its energy. If you’re ill or injured, a good night’s sleep
can help you get back on your feet faster.

#7. Your Heart Slows Down

Your heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and other bodily functions all slow
down at night. Heart rate, for example, decreases by about 20% to 30%
during deep sleep, reports Harvard Medical School.

However, note that large body movements and certain changes in brain
wave activity may cause sharp increases in heart rate. These events may
explain why the risk of myocardial infarction is higher in the morning.
Your resting heart rate should stay between 60 and 100 beats per minute,
regardless of whether you’re awake or sleeping. Consider using a sleep
tracker to monitor your heart rate at night. Reach out to your doctor if you
notice anything unusual.

#8. Your Muscles Paralyze

The most vivid dreams occur when you’re in REM sleep. This is also when
the muscles that are under conscious control lose their ability to move,
explains Live Science. Basically, they’re temporarily paralyzed.
This process has the role of keeping your body still during deep sleep.
Otherwise, you would end up acting out your dream with involuntary
movements like punching, laughing, crying, or talking aloud.

#9. Your Metabolic Rate Decreases

As discussed earlier, your metabolism slows down when you’re asleep. This
allows your body to conserve energy. Think of it as a survival mechanism.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Physiology found that total daily
energy expenditure (EE) increases during periods of sleep deprivation and
goes down during rest.
To save energy, your body lowers its core temperature, heart rate, blood
pressure, and other functions.

#10. Saliva Flow Slows Down

Ever wonder why you have a dry mouth at night? One reason is that saliva
flow decreases during sleep, as there is nothing to digest.
Your body still produces small amounts of saliva during the night to protect
the oro-esophageal structures and other tissues. However, saliva flow is
significantly lower at night than during the waking hours of the day.

If your mouth is constantly dry during sleep, take a few sips of water
before bedtime or throughout the night (in case you wake up). Consider
using a humidifier to prevent excessive dry air in the bedroom.

#11. Your Brain Generates Dreams

Until recently, scientists believed that dreaming only occurs during REM
sleep. According to the latest evidence, this process also takes place during
non-REM sleep. Even today, there’s a lot of debate regarding the purpose
of dreams.

Some researchers say that dreaming is a coping

mechanism. For example, they may help you confront
emotional traumas and face your fears, explains Healthline.
Others believe that our brain generates dreams as part of the fight-or-flight
response. Simply put, they may help us prepare emotionally for a potential
threat.
Dreams may also reflect our creative tendencies, emotions, and day-to-day
experiences. Freud believed that they’re a key to access in our inner
world.

Other theories suggest that dreaming helps consolidate memories, filters

out information, or enables the brain to replay and analyze recent events.

Your Body Does Incredible Things When

You’re Asleep
Now that you know what happens when you sleep, it’s easy to understand
why you need to prioritize rest.

When you’re asleep, your body builds muscle, produces hormones, fights
inflammation, and repairs damaged cells. Your brain stores and processes
information, consolidates memories, and regenerates itself.
A good night’s sleep can boost your memory, learning abilities, and
creative skills. It also supports immune function and keeps your stress
levels in check. Plus, it energizes your mind and body, preparing you for
the day ahead.

Remember that every hour of sleep counts. Even if you’re a night owl, it’s
never too late to fix your sleep schedule and reap the benefits of proper
rest.

Good