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Unlocking the Secrets of Sleep: How Our Brains Clean House at Night




Here’s another compelling reason to ensure you get a full night's sleep: while we rest, our brains engage in a crucial clean-up operation. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered that during sleep, neurons actively work to remove accumulated metabolic waste, which could otherwise contribute to neurodegenerative diseases.


This cleanup process is facilitated by slow brainwaves, which help propel cerebrospinal fluid throughout the brain, flushing out waste. This function is part of the brain's glymphatic system, which plays a key role in maintaining neurological health by clearing out protein fragments and other metabolic debris.


These findings, published in the journal Nature, emphasize the importance of sleep in brain health and could deepen our understanding of conditions like Alzheimer's disease. The study also highlights how neurons are fundamental to activating this self-cleaning system, underscoring the critical relationship between sleep and long-term cognitive well-being.





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