By: James Gallagher
bbc.com/health
"Sleep cleans the brain toxins"
Sleep Deprivation. Nearly all teenagers suffer from it.
Homework, texting, and going on the Internet are the major culprits why
teenagers do not get enough sleep. Research done by the University of Rochester
Medical Center in the United States showed that sleep can clean toxins that
build up in the brain during the day. Their studies showed that while a person
sleeps, the brain cells shrink,
allowing for gaps to open up between neurons and allow fluids to rush into the
brain and “wash” the brain of their neurotoxins. People who do not receive
adequate sleep fail to clear away the toxins which can lead to a variety of
brain disorders. The part of the brain responsible for this task is the
glymphatic system. When a person falls asleep, the rest of the body does too
but the brain remains active. The glymphatic system becomes more active when a
person is asleep than awake. Other researchers conclude that the activeness of
a person’s glymphatic system during sleep is especially crucial for memory and
cognitive development. The more toxins build up in the brain, the more
difficulty people have memorizing and being able to analyze problems. Also
people who have toxin buildup in the brain can be at serious risk for brains
disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s later on in their life. The next
time you think that pulling an all-nighter will help you the next day, think
about what those extra toxins will do to the brain.
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