Brainwashing:

‍Good sleep prevents “dirty” brains that age faster – and beware of sleeping pills

“Sleep is like turning on the dishwasher before you go to bed and waking up with a clean brain”
— Professor Nedergaard

One of the pioneers of the field of sleep research, Maiken Nedergaard, and colleagues, published a new report in Cell this week showing how sleep plays a critical role in brain health by driving glymphatic flow, which clears waste.

Why sleep matters for brain health

Sleep, particularly during the NREM deep sleep phase (stage N3), plays a critical role in brain health by driving glymphatic flow, which clears waste, including toxic proteins like β-amyloid.

This clearance is vital for preventing conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.

What happens when sleep is reduced

Studies show that just one night of sleep deprivation increases β-amyloid accumulation in brain regions linked to Alzheimer’s.

Long-term poor sleep is also associated with a higher risk of dementia, with research on nearly 8,000 participants revealing a >20% increased risk of late-onset dementia for those under 50 or 60 sleeping 6 hours or less.

Additionally, waste clearance impacts the brain's immune system, offering another pathway through which poor sleep can cause harm.

A warning about sleeping pills

Ironically, Ambien, a commonly used drug to help people sleep, backfires and actually suppresses waste disposal.

There are likely many other drugs that are either used for sleep aids or are associated with sleep disruption that have similar adverse effects.

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