Transition from Waking Life to Sleep
Neuroscientists are studying the boundary between sleep and awareness, discovering various liminal states that help explain sleep disorders resulting from faulty sleep transitions.
As one drifts off to sleep, their brain undergoes a significant transformation, influenced by external stimuli. For instance, the sound of an upstairs neighbor or the sensation of shadows and light on the eyelids can be perceived as normal, even if the surroundings are imaginary.
You’ve started your journey into sleep, the cryptic state that you and most other animals need in some form to survive.
Sleep plays a crucial role in refreshing the brain and body, involving the repair of tissues, removal of toxins, and consolidation of memories, although the full extent of its functions is not yet fully understood.
Author's summary: Neuroscientists study sleep transitions to understand disorders.