Why do we sleep? “One of the great mysteries of biology” finally resolved

Sleep. Furthermore, Our great need to all. Furthermore, Some may fall asleep anywhere, others will need special conditions. For example, But what triggers the need, sometimes imperative, to sleep? Therefore, So far, “The pressure felt to go to sleep […] lacked physical interpretation “Explain scientists from the University of Oxford. However. their article published on July 16, 2025 in the review Nature gives for the first time a concrete explanation of the need to sleep.

The cause? An accumulation of electrical stress in mitochondria, these small organelles which provide energy to our cells from oxygen. Understanding their involvement. unsuspected why do we sleep? “one so far, changes the way in which researchers tackle not only the question of sleep, but also aging and neurological diseases.

Mitochondria. electrons and circuit breaker – Why do we sleep? "one

In cells responsible for sleeping sleep, mitochondria lose electrons when overloaded, which leads to the formation of reactive oxygen derivatives (ROS) potentially dangerous. A bit like a circuit breaker. when a threshold is crossed, it acts as a signal which will encourage the brain to fall asleep to prevent overload and therefore that the attacks are too large.

“It is important to prevent your mitochondria from losing too many electrons. In this case, they generate reactive molecules that damage cells ”explains Dr. Raffaele Sarnataro, the first author of the study, in a press release.

To carry out their study, the researchers conducted experiences on flies. And by varying the quantity of electrons. either by playing with the amount of energy of specialized sleep cells in these flies, the researchers could modify the duration of their sleep.

A link with metabolism. old age

“We have sought to understand what sleep is for and why we feel this need. Despite decades of research. no one had identified clear physical trigger ”says Professor Gero Miesenböck, one of the main authors of the study. “Our results show that the answer could reside in the very process that why do we sleep? “one feeds our body: aerobic metabolism. »»

In addition to highlighting the link between the metabolism of mitochondria. the need for sleep, understanding the involvement of these organizations ultimately makes it possible to explain what links metabolism, sleep and life expectancy. This also explains why, during a mitochondrial disease, patients feel great fatigue. “This research responds to one of the great mysteries of biology”, concluded Dr. Raffaele Sarnataro.

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