#7 Your Muscles Are Paralyzed
Most people take it for granted that they go to sleep and wake up in the same spot, but there’s a physiological explanation for why humans don’t move much while they are sleeping. Body muscles generally become paralyzed while sleeping.
The frontal cortex is essentially turned off while we are in REM sleep. The reason for this is that since the frontal cortex regulates how our bodies move, acting out our dreams would be dangerous.
There are also times when this type of “paralysis” doesn’t take place, which can cause sleep disorders where people literally act out their dreams and require restraints while sleeping to prevent harm to others or to themselves.
The disorder known as sleep paralysis, which causes individuals to awaken but be temporarily immobilized, is thought to be related to a disturbance with this mechanism.
