When we think of evolution, natural selection, predation, and efficiency, sleep might seem like a terrible idea. Lying dormant for six or more hours a day makes us incredibly vulnerable to danger not to mention inefficient, right?
Wrong.
Even though science doesnât completely understand why we sleep at all, and being unconscious for long stretches doesnât appear to offer any advantages, nearly every animal sleeps (even if itâs only short rest periods like insects or half of their brain like dolphins).
Why?
The longer weâre awake, the less effective, efficient, and alert we are. Our bodies need sleep. We know this, so the idea that evolution should rid us of it (as though it were tonsils or an appendix â both of which we still have) is really just an error in understanding.
In fact, the idea that evolution works to guide us toward an ideal existence that always results in progress and improves us is a misconception. Darwinâs Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection may result in evolving improved abilities to survive, but natural selection doesnât have a design; it doesnât tailor us to our situations or environments.
Evolution isnât always adaptive either.
There are mutations, migrations, and genetic drifts that can cause harmful changes or disadvantages in a species. Lastly, progress, as an idea, doesnât apply because progress doesnât look the same for every single species.
As Berkeley University of California says, âIt is tempting to see evolution as a grand progressive ladder with Homo sapiens emerging at the top. But evolution produces a tree, not a ladder â and we are just one of many twigs on the tree.â
Still think sleep is unnecessary?
With our lives as busy as they are today, filled to the brim with to-do lists, work, and obligations, we often feel like weâre missing out. Imagining life with more time might be a fun daydream. We fantasize that with more waking hours weâd be more productive, present, and prosperous, but in reality, our lives would be worse off.
First, we need sleep â thereâs a reason we spend one third of lives doing it. While weâre unconscious, our bodies arenât being lazy, theyâre busily working away to restore, repair, and rejuvenate; itâs a time for energy conservation so that weâre energetic, efficient, and engaged while weâre awake.
When people and animals are sleep deprived, whether voluntarily or due to a sleep disorder, thereâs a disruption in our synaptic changes, which we need for our brains to grow and change.
Even computers have a sleep function.
Think of your body as a being like an organic computer: It needs to work, but it canât be on all the time because if it is, itâll wear out.
Something that is constantly âonâ wastes energy and eventually breaks down. Just like computers, our bodies collect information, process, organize, catalogue, and learn but for us, those functions are performed during sleep. When we wake up, weâre not only rested, but weâre also smarter and stronger â which is a distinct advantage of sleep, evolutionarily speaking:
Not getting enough sleep or waking up feeling terrible?
If youâre having difficulty falling or staying asleep and wake up feeling worse than before you went to bed, you might be suffering from a sleep disorder like sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea symptoms include snoring, waking up gasping, night sweats, morning headaches, and daytime sleepiness. If you it, luckily, sleep apnea treatment will eliminate these symptoms and improve your quality of sleep and life. Think you might be at risk? Take our sleep quiz, or book an appointment with one of our sleep experts to find out.

