For something that can occupy such a significant chunk of time, sleep still remains a mysterious part of our lives. Although it is known to play a role in mental and physical health, such as metabolism and memory, there is much that is still not well understood.

As a general rule, it’s recommended that adults get seven or eight hours of sleep per night, although that may not be the right guideline for everyone. ‘The amount of sleep people need is highly individual,’ said Dr Vlad Vyazovskiy, a sleep researcher from the University of Oxford in the UK. ‘It isn’t only about sleep duration either but also about sleep quality.’

However, there is no doubt that a night of poor sleep affects cognitive abilities the next day. It’s hard to focus when you’re tired, and complicated tasks seem daunting. But how exactly does sleep loss affect your brain?

Source: Sleep-deprived brains may be asleep and awake at the same time