OVERACTIVE BRAINS

An insomniac might feel like their brain is a pile of mush, but they may actually be more alert than expected. Neurologist Dr Rachel Salas conducted a small study on individuals with insomnia and those who had no trouble nodding off. She measured the plasticity of individuals’ brains – the more plastic a brain, the more capable it is of change. Insomniacs’ brains were expected to be less plastic, yet results showed the opposite: their brains were way more active, even at night – a direct link to their sleeplessness.