Functions The multiple hypotheses proposed to explain the function of sleep reflect the incomplete understanding of the subject. It is likely that sleep evolved to fulfill some primeval function and took on multiple functions over time. Sleep is sometimes thought to help conserve energy, though this theory is not fully adequate as it only decreases metabolism by about 5–10%.
Some of the many proposed functions of sleep are as follows: Increased waste clearance of brain In 2013 it was found that the efficiency of the Glymphatic System (which is a functional Waste Clearance Pathway for the Mammalian Central Nervous System) improves during sleep and provided the first direct evidence that the clearance of interstitial waste products increases during the resting state. The restorative properties of sleep may be linked to increased glymphatic clearance of…
