What Does Our Body Do While It Sleeps?

While we sleep, our body generates antibodies to defend itself against viruses and bacteria, and that is why we need more sleep when we are sick.

We do not need to install a camera to later analyze what we do when we sleep. Many of the activities produced during sleep are internal and we will not be able to observe them. Would you like to know what our body does while it sleeps ? Here we will comment on some curious facts.

What does our body do while it sleeps?

One of the most frequently asked questions is what our body does while it sleeps. Well, simple: this continues to work while we sleep, it is a different operation, but it continues. Contrary to this, popular belief holds that as soon as we fall asleep, much stops working.

This is debatable and the evidence that some research shows indicates that when we sleep, the body remains in operation. Here are some of their activities:

The limbs are paralyzed

During the deepest phase of sleep, the muscles of the lower and upper extremities tend not to move. This occurs because the body is in a deep state of rest and the result is that the limbs become paralyzed.

Sometimes the body tends to shake

Sometimes it happens that, while sleeping, you can feel that the body is falling into a kind of emptiness and the tendency is to wake up scared. This involuntary act is known as myoclonic spasm .  Spasms are efforts we make to stay on our feet, as if it were an alert system that does not fully thrive. It seems that the body is shaking, as if throwing an alarm to wake us up.

Body temperature drops

During the day we are doing many things and the temperature is higher because we are burning calories. However, at night, when we sleep, we do so with the mere intention of regaining energy.

Then the body stops caloric combustion. So the body temperature drops. That is why we can be cold even in summer.

Eyes move quickly

During sleep we go through 5 different stages, one of these stages is very short, just two or three minutes, in which we approach deep sleep. During phases III and IV of the sleep cycle is when our body is in a  state of deep relaxation  and when growth hormone secretion peaks occur, very important for athletes.

Tendency to leak information

What does our body do while it sleeps? It is not the body, but the mind that works the most while we sleep. Every night we filter information about everything that is occupying an important space in our memory.

Hence, what experience considers valuable is then transferred to the long-term memory area. In addition, neural connections are established more quickly. The brain uses a lot of sugar and oxygen at this stage, and this may be one of the reasons why, in most cases, you wake up hungry.

Growth hormone

This is one of the reasons why babies tend to sleep most of the day. Growth hormone (GH: Growth Hormone) not only makes us bigger, but it allows muscles, bones and tissues to regenerate. More of the growth hormone is usually released during the deepest stages of sleep. In addition, it fights low blood glucose levels.

Throat narrows

The reason why the throat narrows is due to the relaxation of the muscles. This is why many people snore even if they don’t have a stuffy nose. There are also other disorders of the throat and most of them have to do with the fact that we do not use it other than to breathe when we are sleeping. In some cases the airway closes completely and causes sleep apnea.

The immune system is strengthened

A popular advice is to get at least 7 hours of sleep. The objective is to recover physical energy, and even avoid contracting a simple virus. This happens because while sleeping there is a tendency to generate antibodies and in this way the body defends itself against the attacks of viruses and bacteria. So, for example, when you have a cold, you need enough sleep so that the immune system can be strengthened.

We recommend you read: Insomnia: a dangerous enemy for your heart

Teeth grind

Bruxism is very common during sleep, mostly in children and young people. Strong teeth clenching can be made worse when there is a lot of stress or the jaw is misaligned. People with this problem wake up with a lot of pain in their mouth. Mostly, the teeth end up worn or broken. It is advisable to consult with a dentist about the use of a dental splint to sleep.

The kidneys also rest

During the day kidney function is active to help us filter toxins that accumulate in the blood. This causes urine to be produced. When we sleep, the filtering action of the kidneys slows down to stop creating fluid. This reason explains that due to having accumulated more waste during the night, and not having evacuated it for several hours, in the morning the urine is a little darker in color.

The sight also recovers

Many cells regenerate with sleep. Those of the eyes are one of them. Lack of sleep causes alterations in the eyelids and in the tear film that protects the cornea. It is likely that in the morning you will have a clearer vision, of course, within minutes of waking up. After hours of using our eyesight, it is natural for her to be tired.

Talk later

Many people talk in their sleep. Some evidence shows that it happens to 78.5% of adults and almost 100% of children. Talking in your sleep is considered a sleep disorder that can be somewhat uncomfortable on particular occasions, like being married, to name one example. Something curious about this is that the next day, nothing of what has been said is usually remembered. It has also been shown that stress or depression tend to increase talking while sleeping.