Which of the following is considered an adaptive function of sleep?

• A. Sleep helps conserve energy during periods when activity would be less productive or more dangerous.
• B. Sleep's main function is to increase appetite and food intake.
• C. Sleep is only necessary for the consolidation of motor skills and has no evolutionary purpose.
• D. Sleep primarily serves to eliminate toxins from the body through increased kidney function.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of adaptive functions in psychology, which refers to behaviors or processes that have evolved because they increase an organism's chances of survival and reproduction.
2. Step 2: Review the options given and identify which one aligns with an evolutionary or survival benefit related to sleep.
3. Step 3: Recognize that conserving energy during times when activity is less productive or more dangerous is a classic example of an adaptive function, as it helps organisms survive by reducing unnecessary energy expenditure.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the other options and note that increasing appetite, solely consolidating motor skills without evolutionary purpose, or eliminating toxins through kidney function do not primarily describe adaptive evolutionary functions of sleep.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct adaptive function of sleep is the conservation of energy during periods when activity would be less productive or more dangerous.