IN·LIF·EUS’ Post

Did you know that during sleep, our brains go into overdrive to clear out damaging waste? 😴💭 Check out this fascinating study suggesting that a neural process helps keep our brains healthy while we catch some Z's. Sweet dreams and a cleaner brain await! #BrainHealth #SleepScience 🧠💤 Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q02rZhyC0

Did you know that during sleep, our brains go into overdrive to clear out damaging waste? 😴💭 Check out this fascinating study suggesting that a neural process helps keep our brains healthy while we catch some Z's. Sweet dreams and a cleaner brain await! #BrainHealth #SleepScience 🧠💤 Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q02rZdmF0

🛌💡 𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲: 𝐀 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐮𝐨! 🧠✨ Did you know skimping on sleep can mess with your memory? 🥴 Nature reveals that sleep-deprived rats had jumbled brain signals in the hippocampus, the memory HQ. Even after catching some Z's, their brains didn't fully bounce back! 😮🔄 So, next time you think about pulling an all-nighter, remember: your brain needs quality sleep to keep those memories sharp! 🌙🛏️ Discover more about this eye-opening research: https://lnkd.in/egGKr3ZV #SleepScience #Memory #BrainPower #SleepWell #StaySharp 😴📚🧬

Interesting study that shows that the brain connections made during the day are pruned during first half of the sleep in a zebrafish. It would be interesting to find out the criteria for pruning and how those are set. It is like filtering noise without diluting the signal. https://lnkd.in/grTjMPzr

Sleep resets brain connections for a few hours, but then what happens?: A team of scientists led by the University College London (UCL) has explored how the brain manages synaptic connections during sleep.  #Sleep #Brain #BrainHealth #SynapticConnections #SynapticHomeostasisHypothesis #BrainCells #SHY #EarthDotCom #EarthSnap #Earth

Sleep resets brain connections During sleep, the brain weakens the new connections between neurons that had been forged while awake – but only during the first half of a night’s sleep, according to a new study in fish. The researchers say their findings, published in Nature, provide insight into the role of sleep, but still leave an open question around what function the latter half of a night’s sleep serves. The researchers say the study supports the Synaptic Homeostasis Hypothesis, a key theory on the purpose of sleep which proposes that sleeping acts as a reset for the brain. Lead author said: “When we are awake, the connections between brain cells get stronger and more complex. If this activity were to continue unabated, it would be energetically unsustainable. Too many active connections between brain cells could prevent new connections from being made the following day. #ScienceMission #ScienceNewsHighlights https://lnkd.in/gm_nmQum

Sleep or Cram? Sleep is Key for Memory Retention! Summary: Sleep is crucial for memory formation, while sleep deprivation severely disrupts this process. Key Facts: 1. Sleep reactivates neurons in the hippocampus, aiding memory formation. 2. Sleep deprivation suppresses neuron reactivation, harming memory retention. 3. Catching up on sleep doesn’t fully recover the lost memory consolidation. Link: https://lnkd.in/eNnSNyvT #MakingSleepAccessible

Excellent paper from our collaborators Anu-Katriina Pesonen & team at Helsinki University on how sleep promotes adaptation to social stress. Using #virtualreality scenarios from our neomento GmbH software suite, Hein et al. could reliably induce subjective stress experiences and transient physiological stress responses (e.g. changes in heart rate and skin conductance). Moreover, subsequent sleep recordings showed evidence for restorative sleep in line with animal model studies. For further details, check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dvWQT4Wx #virtualreality #socialanxiety #sleep #stress Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE)

The Overlooked Power of Sleep: NREM, Neuroplasticity, and America’s Epidemic of Insomnia We often underestimate the profound impact of sleep on our mental and emotional health. Yet, recent research highlights how crucial Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep is for our brains. In a fascinating study, scientists observed macaques and found that after NREM sleep, their brain activity became more synchronized, leading to better performance on visual tasks. This desynchronization after sleep is a key mechanism that enhances cognitive function (Neuroscience News, 2024). What’s happening here isn’t just about rest—it’s about repair. During NREM sleep, our brains encode information, strengthen neural connections, and heal through a process known as neuroplasticity (Helfrich et al., 2021). But what happens when we don’t sleep? In America, insomnia has quietly become an epidemic, robbing millions of the opportunity for their brains to heal and grow. Insomnia isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a thief, stealing the chance for our minds to rebuild overnight. Without restorative sleep, neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt, learn, and recover—is severely impaired. Chronic sleep deprivation has been shown to reduce synaptic plasticity and cognitive function while increasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s (Neuropraxis, 2023). The human cost of sleep deprivation is immeasurable. It leaves us struggling to remember names, finish tasks, and find the energy to enjoy life. Why is this happening? The 24/7 culture of work, technology, and constant stimulation makes quality sleep a rarity. Data from the CDC shows that over 30% of American adults struggle with falling or staying asleep, with 14.5% reporting difficulty falling asleep and 17.8% struggling to stay asleep (CDC, 2020). That’s not just a statistic—it’s millions of people lying awake at night, battling a cycle that’s destroying their ability to repair their brains and bodies. Here’s the truth: Sleep isn’t just downtime. It’s when the brain rewires itself, processes emotions, and strengthens the very connections that make us who we are. Every missed hour of sleep is a missed opportunity for growth and healing. As Helfrich et al. (2021) noted, the oscillations during NREM sleep, such as cortical slow waves and spindles, are essential for memory consolidation and synaptic regeneration—processes that are undermined when sleep is disrupted. It’s time to start thinking of sleep as sacred—an essential human need that deserves protection. If we want to heal our minds, improve our relationships, and unlock our potential, we must prioritize sleep. Addressing insomnia isn’t just about better nights; it’s about better lives. With mounting evidence from studies like those on macaques and humans, the urgency of tackling America’s insomnia epidemic becomes undeniable.

A lack of sleep makes your brain literally eat itself: A study reveals a startling effect of chronic sleep deprivation: it may cause the brain’s self-cleaning mechanism to go into overdrive, leading to the destruction of healthy brain cells. The research, conducted by Michele Bellesi and colleagues, focused on glial cells, which are the brain's caretakers. These cells include astrocytes, which prune unnecessary synapses, and microglial cells, which remove debris. In the study, three groups of mice were observed: well-rested, sleep-deprived for eight hours, and chronically sleep-deprived for five days. The researchers found that in sleep-deprived mice, astrocytes were far more active, affecting up to 13.5% of synapses, compared to just 6% in well-rested mice. This overactivity led to the destruction of synapses, suggesting that chronic sleep loss triggers the brain to "eat" its own healthy cells. This discovery raises concerns about the long-term effects of sleep deprivation on brain health, potentially increasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.