“Scientists capture the full ‘brain-cleaning’ process during sleep” Sleep is crucial for the brain. When a person is in deep sleep, cerebrospinal fluid flows between neurons like waves, clearing metabolic waste and “resetting the system” for thinking and learning the next day. But what happens if you don’t get enough sleep? Scientists at Boston University in the United States have captured this “cleaning” process. Red represents blood, and blue represents cerebrospinal fluid. After falling asleep, neurons become quiet, and within a few seconds, blood flows out of the head. Then a watery fluid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flows in, washing the brain in rhythmic pulses. What’s remarkable is that it was previously unknown that blood periodically flows out of the brain in large amounts. Each time this happens, cerebrospinal fluid takes the opportunity to surge in. Once inside the brain, cerebrospinal fluid clears toxins, such as beta-amyloid, which is linked to Alzheimer’s disease. This cleaning process only occurs during sleep, allowing the brain to feel refreshed upon waking. When awake, cerebrospinal fluid doesn’t get enough opportunity to do this effectively. Researchers also found a connection between brainwave activity and the cleaning process, meaning brainwaves help drive the movement of these fluids. So, it’s better to go to bed earlier—don’t stay up too late! If the “cleaning” doesn’t work well, you might actually get dumber…
