There’s no doubt sleep is good for the brain. It allows different parts to regenerate and helps memories stabilise . When we don’t get enough sleep, this can increase stress levels and exacerbate mental health issues .
Evidence also supports the notion that the brain gets rid of more toxic waste when we’re asleep than when we’re awake. This process is believed to be crucial in getting rid of potentially harmful things such as amyloid, a protein whose build-up in the brain is linked to Alzheimer’s disease . However, a recent study in mice has come to the opposite conclusion.
Its authors suggest that in mice, brain clearance is actually lower during sleep – and that previous findings could also be re-interpreted in this way. Since the brain is an active tissue – with many metabolic and cellular processes happening at any moment – it produces a lot of waste. This waste is removed by our glymphatic system.
Cerebrospinal fluid is a crucial part of the glymphatic system. This fluid surrounds the brain, acting as a liquid cushion that protects it from damage and provides it nourishment, so the brain can function normally. During the waste removal process, our cerebrospinal fluid helps transfer old and dirty brain fluid – full of toxins, metabolites and proteins – to outside the brain, and welcomes in new fluid.
The waste that has been removed then ends up in the lymphatic system (a part of your immune system), where it’s ultimately eliminated from your body. Th.
