1
Physiology & Medicine / Re: What is the role of sleep? Why do we need it?
« on: 09/12/2013 21:26:41 »
One important reason we need sleep is to refresh our minds. The restorative theory is based on the fact that sleep provides the body with an opportunity to repair and rejuvenate itself. This idea is supported by empirical evidence collected in human and animal studies. They found that animals deprived entirely of sleep lose all immune function and die in just a matter of weeks. So those who can't sleep are at a greater risk for health problems. It has also been found that many of the major restorative functions in the body such as muscle growth, tissue repair, and protein synthesis occur mostly, or in some cases only, during sleep.