Why do we sleep?

By Teodora Stoica

Try to explain to an alien why we sleep. Give it your best shot. “Well, we get tired. And our brain needs to rest.”
“I see. So, you find another way to defend yourself during rest?” “Well …  no. Our body is paralyzed, and we lose consciousness.” There is an awkward pause. The alien tilts its head, feigning understanding. “But! We sometimes dream!”“Dream?”
Blindly, unaware of how ridiculous you sound, you continue with unprecedented speed and cadence: “Yes! Dreams are fantastical stories projected from the mind into the mind, sometimes mixed with things that have already happened!”