Your brain has a unique waste disposal system that only activates while you sleep.

The glymphatic system was first identified by Dr. Maiken Nedergaard and her team at the University of Rochester Medical Center in 2012. Using two-photon microscopy on mice, researchers discovered that the space between brain cells increases by 60% during sleep. This expansion allows cerebrospinal fluid to flow rapidly through the brain tissue to flush out metabolic waste products.One of the primary toxins removed is beta-amyloid, a protein that forms plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. While the lymphatic system handles waste for the rest of the body, the brain is separated by the blood-brain barrier and requires this specialized glial-dependent system. The process is driven by the pressure of the pulse in the brain's arteries and regulated by water channels called aquaporin-4.Studies published in the journal 'Science' show that this cleaning process is ten times more active during sleep than during wakefulness. Chronic sleep deprivation prevents this essential 'power wash,' leading to a buildup of neurotoxic proteins. Long-term accumulation of these wastes is strongly linked to cognitive decline and various forms of dementia.