10 Amazing Things That Your Body Does Every Single Day

Considering we spend around a third of our lives doing it, we're still not exactly sure why we need to sleep.

The generally accepted idea at the moment is that it allows the body to perform maintenance both physically and mentally. By shutting down consciousness, the brain is able to process all of the data it received throughout the day, without having to deal with any more incoming information at the same time. 

During sleep, the brain decides which of its neural pathways need strengthening, and which can be pruned, essentially rewiring itself every time you get a bit of shut-eye.

It is also thought that sleep is essential for physical repair as well, allowing the body to sort out any wear and tear. Lack of sleep can even cause inflammation, similar to the body's response to stress, which could well explain the link between sleep deprivation and health problems such as heart disease.

It is thought that the reason why your brain is so foggy when you haven't had enough sleep is because the brain is actually shutting down parts of itself in turn, allowing it to sleep in shifts, a bit like a shark shutting down half of its brain whilst continuing to swim.