How we sleep: From brain states to processes.
Revue neurologique October 1, 2023 T Andrillon 18 citations
Sleep is traditionally defined by distinct behavioral, physiological, and subjective states, but recent evidence reveals that brain regions can show asynchronous activity, making it difficult to assign a single global vigilance state. Instead, sleep may be better understood as a multidimensional continuum rather than a series of discrete, mutually exclusive states. Shifting focus from sleep states to the underlying brain processes—such as those that clean and reorganize the brain overnight—offers a more useful framework. This process-oriented view highlights what sleep does (e.g., producing a cleaner, leaner brain each morning) rather than what it is, avoiding limitations of the state-based perspective.