Lecture 02

Basic theories of sleep

 What is sleep?
• sleep is a normal, reversible, recurrent state of reduced responsiveness to external
stimulation accompanied by complex and predictable changes in physiology.
• Sleep is a basic human need and is essential for good health, good quality of life
and performing well during the day
• In medical terms:
Sleep is a complex biological process that helps you process new information, stay
healthy, and feel rested. During sleep, the noticeable changes in brain electrical
activity are due to the brain's billions of nerve cells physically repairing themselves.
 Basic theories of sleep
• Theories have been put forward to explain why sleep is essential for
survival. Some theories include:
i. Inactivity theory
ii. Energy conservation theory
iii. Restoration theory, &
iv. Brain plasticity theory.
 Inactivity theory

• Inactivity theory is based on the concept of evolutionary pressure where creatures

inactive at night were less likely to die from the predation of injury in the dark,
thus creating an evolutionary and reproductive benefit to being inactive at night.
• It is one of the first theories that suggested sleep as an adaptive behavior to protect
against natural hazards and predators.
• The inactivity theory of sleep psychology can partly explain why, for example, an
animal would need to hide, especially at nighttime, when it is most vulnerable. The
physiological requirement for sleep keeps the animal safe and assures that it will
remain hidden away over time.
 Energy conservation theory

• Energy conservation theory posits that the main function of sleep is to reduce a
person's energy demand during part of the day and night when it is least
efficient to hunt for food. This theory is supported by the fact that the body has
decreased metabolism by up to 10% during sleep.
• sleep's main job is to minimize an individual's energy requirements and
expenditure during certain times of the day or night.
• Body temperature and calorie needs decline during sleep compared to an
awake state. Such research backs up the idea that one of sleep's key roles is to
aid organisms in conserving their energy resources.
 Restoration theory
• The restorative theory proposes that sleep promotes tissue repair and restoration.
During wakefulness, many biological processes occur, and the body becomes depleted of
its stores. The body tries to heal itself through muscle and tissue repair, protein synthesis,
and hormone production necessary for growth, all of which occur largely during sleep. It's
also worth noting that during non-REM sleep, bodily tissues mend and regenerate,
whereas during REM sleep, brain tissue repairs.
• Caffeine intake, however, can block adenosine (naturally occurring substance that relaxes
and dilates blood vessels). activities in the brain, keeping us attentive. Scientists believe
that this accumulation of adenosine during waking hours promotes the urge to sleep, as
adenosine builds up and remains high while we are awake. The body has an opportunity
to eliminate adenosine from circulation while sleeping, which makes us feel more
attentive when we wake up.
 Brain Plasticity Theory

• Discoveries about sleep's link with changes in brain plasticity, which is the
structure and organization of the brain, led to one of the most recent and
intriguing theories as to why we sleep. Proponents of the brain plasticity theory of
sleep emphasize that sleep improves our brain plasticity.
• sleep is necessary for neural reorganization and growth of the brain’s structure
and function. It is clear that sleep plays a role in the development of the brain in
infants and children and explains why infants must sleep upwards of 14 hours per
day. It seems that sleep can negatively or positively impact our cognitive
function, for example, in the brain development of newborns and young children.
 Assignment 02
• Why do we sleep?
• Guidelines for better sleep