re: If aliens are real, why havent they abducted you?

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Do we really need 6-8 hours a day to clean and process information though?

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Yes, because our brains are so big and so complex. In fact, the cleaning can only occur during sleep. I think we dream because the brain is running programs to make sure all waste products have been washed out. Individuals need differing amounts of sleep because their brains need differing amounts of time for the process. On average, however, 6-8 hours are necessary. We ignore that need at our peril.

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Why can’t our brains do that in just 30 minutes?

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Small-brained animals need far less sleep for cleaning. Some need only about that amount of time. Mammals need the most sleep because of their more complex brains.

Sleep must be distinguished from hibernation. In sleep, the body remains ready for immediate action and the brain can quickly return to wakefulness. During hibernation, bodily functions are either suspended or radically slowed down. The brain enters a state of stupor for an extended period.

My favorite method of animal sleep is that of some birds. They can rest half of their brain at a time while being completely alert in the other half. One eye open, one eye closed. How cool is that?