Have you ever thought of what your brain does while you’re sleeping? You might think that the brain also falls asleep with the rest of your body, but this isn’t true. The brain isn’t in a state of inactivity during sleep; there are other things it does rather than stay still.
1. MAKES DECISIONS
Have you heard an elderly man say ‘I’d sleep on it’ when bothered with an issue. Well, in literal terms, he’s right. A study published in the journal Current Biology found that the brain processes information and prepares for action during sleep. The study found that the brain is stimulated during sleep and use information that’s available to make decisions when awake.
2. RELEARN FORGOTTEN SKILLS
Another incredible thing the brain does is to relearn a skill during sleep. Researchers found that within 12 hours, a person could start forgetting how to play a video game. However, the person can relearn those skills after sleeping.
3. IT CREATES AND STORES MEMORIES
Another amazing thing the brain does during sleep is creating and storing memories. A research carried out by Harvard researchers found that when you teach a person a new task, later that same day they might not be good at it as they were initially. However, after a full night’s rest, the study participants got good or even better at the task.
4. PROCESS WORDS
If you think your brain falls asleep when you’re sleeping then you need to think again. According to a French study, people who are asleep can correctly respond to verbal instructions.
To conduct the study, the researchers asked awake participants to push a different button depending on whether the words they heard were animals or objects until the task became automated while monitoring their brain waves. The research was carried on when the participants fell asleep. The researchers found that while the participants no longer pushed the buttons as they slept, their brain waves still acted the same.
5. CLEANSING
The brain also needs cleansing, and what else could cleanse the brain? The brain cleanses itself during sleep by removing toxins from the brain which can lead to neurodegeneration. Accumulated toxins in the brain can lead to conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Also, not getting enough sleep doesn’t provide the brain with enough time to clear out the toxins
6. FORM CREATIVE CONNECTIONS
The brain also makes creative connections while we are asleep. Rochester University researchers have found that during sleep the brain creates some new links and make some distant connections in order to lead to new ideas.
7. LEARN AND PERFECT SKILLS
The brain also helps you learn and perfect skills while you’re asleep. During REM sleep, the brain stores information into long-term memory known as sleep spindles. This process is what would make you learn and sharpen certain skills especially in acts such as driving, dancing and holding a tennis racket.
So If you think you don’t need sleep then you’re really missing out.
S.O. Z