Why do we need sleep? Scientists at the University of Rochester have found that during sleep the brain flushes itself clean of the toxins it has built up while awake. This system known as the the glymphatic system, is made up of cerebrospinal fluid and uses the brain's blood vessels to travel amongst the brain cells to clean them up. What's more, the scientists observed that the brain cells of mice (which have very similar characteristics to human brain ) shrink by 60 percent during sleep, thereby allowing the cerebrospinal fluid to circulate throughout the brain more freely enabling it to clean up more efficiently.
If that doesn't want to make you want to get a good night's rest, I don't know what will.
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1 comment:
I love that! I just love learning how our body works so hard to keep us as healthy and functional as possible. I didn't know any of that. Thanks for the bp!
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