Your brain and sleeping. breathing?

Question

Hey. I just have this really random question. So your brain kinda shuts off and rests while you're asleep. Then how do you breath at night? Because if you're brains like turned off then how can you still keep breathing?

Answer 1

study psychology, the brain is amazing.

it doesnt shut off, ever. except for a brain injury, then the brain stem takes over basic functions ,while the brain heals.

the brain is like a computer, it controls everything. it tells you when to sleep, and tells you to keep breathing.

ever see something out of the corner of you eye and jump out of the way? or swing around to see what it was? your brain monitors what goes on around you. process millions of sounds and smells and sights, while you concentrate on a few important things. when it sees something important, like a rock coming towards your head , it yells DUCK!

ever be unable to remember something, then a while later a very close answer, but wrong ,pops into your head? then, the right answer just pops into your head from no where ?
your brain knew you wanted the answer, so while you move on to other things, it kept looking. it searches by comparison. it knows you are looking for a persons name, you remember his face. it takes his face and compares it with others in your memory, when it thinks it has the right one, it tells you. when you think " no thats not him" it keeps looking.

you rest, your brain doesnt.

Answer 2

Your brain stem, which is at the back of your head, controls all the really basic functions of your body, like breathing and heartbeat. It doesn't shut down when you go to sleep.

And your brain doesn't actually turn off. Your conscious processing does, but your brain is actually quite active while you sleep. It doesn't shut off; it processes the stuff that has happened since you were last asleep. The main things that act like they are going to sleep are your thought processes and your motor faculties, like moving around (though you do move in your sleep). The other stuff, like breathing and heart rate slow down, as well, but they don't stop. It's like entering a state of deep relaxation.

I hope that makes sense.

Answer 3

Your brain doesnt actually turn off when you sleep. Your body is the one that slows down. Even though you are asleep all the same body parts are still working. You keep breathing because your brain is telling it to.

Answer 4

Even though you lose consciousness, your brain doesn't shut off while you sleep, just some very small sections. Your breathing and heartbeat are controlled by your brain stem (where the brain meets the neck). If that part were to shut down, you would die.

Answer 5

As some answers already said, the brain never shuts off.

When you sleep, some parts shut down and you lose consciousness (or dream). But things like breathing, heart rate, digestion, and general healing still take place because of an automatic subconscious process.

Even when you are awake, you don't consciously control your breathing and heart rate anyway.

Answer 6

Breathing is involuntary regardless, and your brain never stops working. So, the thing that keeps you breathing at night when asleep, is the same thing that keeps you breathing while you are awake. Also, some people actually do stop breathing when they go to sleep, and what is what you call sleep apnea

Answer 7

Your brain doesn't shut off.

Your legs and arms may twitch right before you fall completely asleep, but that's an evolutionary advancement that makes you move less in your sleep so predators don't hear you.

Different parts of your brain work, and it works in a different way.

Answer 8

Certain body functions are involuntary; breathing, heart beating, blinking, reflexes, etc. They are controlled by a particular part of the brain which doesn't sleep; the brain stem.
Here is a link:
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/body/brain_noSW.html

Answer 9

same as during the day: you don't think about breathing you're body does it automatically. and when you sleep your brain doesn't shut off, it still controls all your other body functions and "repairs" and "recharges" you so you wont be tired

Answer 10

thats a good question but your brain NEVER shuts off