YOUR BRAIN ON THE NIGHT SHIFT

What really happens when you sleep? You may be taking a break from consciousness when you snooze, but not all of your neurons are resting, Veasey says. While you rest, your brain solidifies the synapses involved in the important memories you want to keep (like the name of your new dentist) while pruning the synapses involved in less important memories (such as where you put your keys two nights ago). Sleep also gives your brain a chance to clear out debris that accumulated during the day. In 2014, a team of scientists led by Maiken Nedergaard at the University of Rochester Medical Center published research suggesting that the brain rids itself of metabolic waste through a kind of plumbing system that works mainly while we sleep. Just as the lymphatic system clears unwanted waste from the rest of the body, what’s called the glymphatic system eliminates debris and toxins from the brain and the central nervous system. Skimp on sleep, and this janitorial service can’t keep up, so the rubbish starts to accumulate in your noggin.