According to various psychological theories, which of the following is considered a primary purpose of sleep?

• A. Sleep's main purpose is to decrease memory consolidation.
• B. Sleep helps restore and repair brain tissue, supporting physical and cognitive health.
• C. Sleep is mainly needed to prevent the body from growing.
• D. Sleep primarily functions to increase caloric intake during the night.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the role of sleep in psychological and physiological processes by reviewing major psychological theories related to sleep, such as restorative theory and memory consolidation theory.
2. Step 2: Identify the primary functions of sleep according to these theories, focusing on how sleep contributes to brain and body health rather than unrelated functions like caloric intake or growth prevention.
3. Step 3: Recognize that restorative theory emphasizes sleep's role in repairing and restoring brain tissue, which supports both physical and cognitive health.
4. Step 4: Contrast this with incorrect options, such as sleep decreasing memory consolidation (which is actually enhanced by sleep), preventing body growth (which is not a primary function), or increasing caloric intake (which is unrelated to sleep's purpose).
5. Step 5: Conclude that the primary purpose of sleep, supported by psychological research, is to restore and repair brain tissue, thereby maintaining overall health and cognitive functioning.