When you're asleep how do you continue to breathe when the rest of your body has shut down?

Answer 1

Nothing in your body "shuts down" when you're sleeping. Your heart still beats, your brains still has activity like dreams, your kidney's are still filtering your blood, your intestines are still digesting and processing the food you ate. Breathing is an involuntary function that is triggered from your brain.

Answer 2

The breathing process is regulated by a lower part of the brain that isnt affected when your uncouncious. Thats why you don't need to worry when a little kid threatens to hold their breath until they die. Because once they pass out they will start breathing again weather they want to or not.

Dolphins do not have a reflexive breathing system and will suffocate if they are knocked uncounscious. Glad your human huh?

Answer 3

I am almost 100% sure that your brain is telling your body to breathe. I know my brother has to take a medication b/c sometimes he stops breathing and goes into a seizure.
I don't think your mind ever stops working.
Like when people are in a vegetable state. Their brain is still working.

Answer 4

Actually yes, it's true your body does shut down but your lungs do continue on breathing.

Answer 5

Sort of like you breath during the day. We sure do not think about it. What a drag that would be. Oh, time out to breath. Our autonomous bodily functions. like the beating of our heart. We do not give it directions. on and on That was a fun question

Answer 6

The diaghram is in constant motion as it constanly drops (allows inhalation) and rises (allows exhalation) to support the lungs with oxygen.
This mechanical marvel we call "our bodies" is wired so as to continue these automatic muscular movements.
BREATHING (as are the heart (beating) and the other internal organs are wired to continue whether or not we can mentally control them or not as a simple means of survival.

Answer 7

breathing is an involintairy action, just like the heart, liver, bladder, and the intestines, including more. Its automatic. sure you may be able to hold your breath and stop breathing, but before you die from lack of oxygen, you would pass out and then start breathing again.

Answer 8

Your body never shuts down. Your mind goes asleep is all.

Answer 9

There is part of the brain that controls the heart beating and breathing, among other things. It is a involuntary function.

Answer 10

There are two kinds of patterns our bodies have - voluntary and involuntary. The medulla oblongata controls this and other functions like this. Respiration (breathing when you sleep) is an involuntary function. Isn't great how our body works!?!?