The Curious World Of Sleep: Weird Facts That Are Actually True

Jun 1, 2025 | Nayra Jain

Sleep Paralysis: When Your Body Freezes But Mind’s Awake

During sleep paralysis, you’re conscious but unable to move. This strange phenomenon happens in the transition between wakefulness and sleep and can cause vivid hallucinations, making it terrifying yet harmless.

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Dreams Can Help Solve Problems

Research shows dreaming can boost creativity and problem-solving. Your brain continues working on issues during REM sleep, which is why some people wake up with fresh ideas or solutions to tricky problems.

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People Can Sleepwalk Without Memory

Sleepwalking occurs during deep sleep and can involve walking or even complex actions. Interestingly, those who sleepwalk usually have no memory of the event the next day, making it a bizarre overnight mystery.

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Cats Dream Just Like Humans

Studies on cats reveal they enter REM sleep and have dreams. You might notice twitching paws or whiskers, signalling they’re experiencing dreams, proving that dreaming isn’t just a human trait.

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The Guinness World Record For No Sleep Is 11 Days

Though extremely dangerous and not recommended, the longest documented period without sleep is 264 hours. Sleep deprivation causes hallucinations, memory loss, and impaired judgment, showing how essential rest is.

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We Lose A Third of Our Lives Sleeping

On average, people spend about 33% of their life asleep. Despite seeming like ‘wasted’ time, sleep is crucial for health, memory consolidation, and emotional balance, making it an investment in well-being.

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Sleep Can Boost Your Immune System

During sleep, the body produces cytokines, proteins that help fight infection and inflammation. Lack of sleep weakens this defence, increasing the risk of illness, so good rest is a natural health booster.

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Some People Experience ‘Exploding Head Syndrome’

This harmless but startling condition causes loud imagined noises or a sense of explosion in the head just before sleep. Though bizarre, it’s painless and tends to disappear without treatment.

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Humans Are The Only Mammals That Delay Sleep

Unlike most animals that sleep immediately when tired, humans often delay sleep, using artificial light or screens. This unique behaviour affects our natural rhythms and can cause chronic sleep problems.

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Your Body Temperature Drops To Help You Sleep

Before and during sleep, your body cools down to encourage rest. This drop in temperature signals your brain that it’s time to sleep, which is why cooler rooms often improve sleep quality.

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