Everyone has long known that it is extremely important for the body to get enough sleep, this allows you to recover during sleep. But what happens in our brain when we dream? What processes are taking place? Some scientists say that the brain is also sleeping, others are of the opinion that only half. An amazing study was published in the scientific journal Science, conducted on mice and rats, which consisted in studying the activity of the brain. The work of the brain during sleep is so diverse and complex that sometimes the assumptions can only be made after studies on animals, such as mice and rats.
How does the brain function during sleep differ from wakefulness
Research on mice can be partially transferred to humans, because the cellular and metabolic processes in the nervous system are very similar. Humans, like mice, have IP in their brains – interstitial space. There are small gaps of 15-20 nm between neurons and brain cells. These gaps are called the interstitial space or IP. Neurons are the cells that make up the brain and through which they carry out their work. Glia or glial cells in the brain function near neurons and are auxiliary cells. The PI is filled with solutes that come from capillaries (blood vessels) or cerebrospinal fluid.
When a person falls asleep, these gaps expand by 60%. This expansion leads to a significant increase in the convective exchange process of the intercellular and cerebrospinal fluid. This leads to an acceleration of the process of removing waste (neurotoxic) accumulated in the central nervous system over a certain period of time. This process especially affects [beta]-amyloid, which is a peptide that plays a central role in Alzheimer's disease. Beta-amyloid is part of the plaques that contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease.
The brain function during sleep changes as follows: when the mouse was awake, the interstitial space covered 14% of the brain volume, and during sleep, IP progressed to 60%, and occupied 23% of the brain volume. Such figures explain the functional focus of the brain during sleep: the ability to cleanse and regenerate. The result of the research: the work of the brain during sleep is directed to the process of clearing the waste of nervous activity during the day.
Another study cited in Nature articles shows the brain's ability to "switch off" to sleep. Such a shutdown can occur even during wakefulness of the body. Especially often occur when the body has not slept for a long time.
Why sleep is necessary and what to do to get enough sleep
Such conclusions of scientists are extremely necessary for a person, because they show how important it is to go to bed on time and stay in this state for at least 7 hours so that the brain can clear its resources and set up work for the next time of wakefulness. If we neglect this law and cut sleep time by at least an hour, the performance of brain activity will be much less, and the risk of diseases will increase every day.
In addition to the function of clearing brain waste during sleep, the body must be in a horizontal position for a certain period of time so that all parts of the body and organs also rest and carry out both the cleaning and recovery procedures. Legs and hands rest from the loads of the day, the digestive system – from digestion of food, the excretory system works only partially at night. This does not mean that the whole organism sleeps and does not work, but, nevertheless, sleep – this is the time to restore the work of organs and systems for further effective life.
To get better sleep, follow a few tips: walk in the fresh air, provide a comfortable place to sleep, silence and minimal lighting, do not drink a lot of fluids or diuretics before bedtime, do not eat food before bedtime or alcohol. Before going to bed, let your body relax, think about pleasant things, dream, visualize your desires.
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