What Actually Happens to Your Brain When You Don’t Sleep Enough

What Actually Happens to Your Brain When You Don't Sleep Enough

I’ve always wondered what exactly happens inside my brain after a sleepless night. Why does everything feel harder—thinking through problems, remembering where I put my keys, even just reacting quickly enough to catch something before it falls? We tend to describe it vaguely: “I’m exhausted,” “My brain isn’t working,” “I can’t focus.” But what does that actually mean on a biological level?