Standard Federation day

External Since: Jul 30, 2003 Posts: 31

In article <a62fa74d.0309230848.60fe3683 DeleteThis @posting.google.com>, Alara
Rogers <alara DeleteThis @mindspring.com> wrote:

> "Mr. Personality" <affable DeleteThis @no.com.invalid> wrote in message
> news:<230920030031103172%affable@no.com.invalid>...

  > > All higher life forms sleep because their brains require it. Brains
  > > use more energy than the bloodstream can deliver. The energy stored in
  > > the brain is depleted while awake and can be restored only during
  > > sleep. (Brain energy is stored in the glial cells.) This is why
  > > brains start malfunctioning when a person is tired. People
  > > hallucinate, they forget simple things, they slur their speech, vision
  > > is affected.
>
> Actually, I'm afraid this is completely untrue. Brains are just as
> active while asleep as awake (sometimes moreso); the need for sleep
> has *nothing* to do with your brain running out of energy. Here's what
> we do know.

Brains are indeed very active during sleep, but apparently they consume
far less energy. That doesn't mean that they shut down during sleep.
The need to replenish brain energy is often cited as the primary reason
for sleep. (I would have thought that body rest was more important,
but that's not what I'm seeing when I google on "glial cells.") Your
statement that sleep has nothing to do with replenishing brain energy
would probably be disputed by a number of sources I read last night.
That doesn't mean they're right, of course.

I found your cites about other species fascinating, BTW.

External Since: Sep 23, 2003 Posts: 5

Alara Rogers wrote:
> Actually, I'm afraid this is completely untrue. Brains are just as
> active while asleep as awake (sometimes moreso); the need for sleep
> has *nothing* to do with your brain running out of energy. Here's what
> we do know.

One theory I'm fond of is that while asleep our 'ki' is replenished. Of
course that is a highly metaphysical explanation and requires you to define
what 'ki' is, besides a Japanese word (and I ain't talking about trees). I'm
not going to do that here, because 1) that would make this post far longer
than any of you is willing to read, and 2) I'm not sure I really know
myself. I've read this theory in a book by Koichi Tohei, founder of Shin
Shin Toitsu Aikido (also referred to as Ki Aikido, a name approved by the
Department of Redundancy Department). The book is "Ki in daily life" (which
is a highly recommended read!)

Although it is highly debatable if this is what happens, and even if it is
true it's probably just one way of describing a process that could also be
explained in non-metaphysical terms. But it's true (I've experienced it
myself) that if you do breathing exercises and focus your Ki in "one point"
as described in "Ki in daily life" you sleep a whole lot better than when
you don't.

--
Unforgiven

"Most people make generalisations"
Freek de Jonge