system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 How does sleep differ from being unconscious?

Do you still rest? Assuming I can avoid a concussion or injury, should I knock myself out every night that I can’t sleep?

Is being blacked out (from alcohol, etc) being unconscious in the same sense as being knocked out?
gpt
Going to sleep is like putting a computer on standby mode. The lights aren't on but everything is working and ready to turn back on. Infact some processes are probably running in the background.

Getting knocked out is like pulling the computer's power cable out of the wall. Things are not working correctly and there is a risk of serious lasting damage or maybe even total system failure. Even in the best case scenario, booting back up will take longer than from standby.

Blacking out from alcohol is a state of still being conscious but no longer forming memories. Alcohol suppresses the nervous system so losing consciousness after drinking sits on a spectrum between falling asleep regularely and passing out depending on how intoxicated one gets.