sleep tight

A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that missing out on sleep may cause your brain to turn on itself. Astrocytes are the type of cell that rid the brain of worn out cells and unneeded debris at the end of each day. These cells go into overdrive when the body chronically lacks sleep, making it possible for the cells to attack more of the brain than necessary. Microglial cells, which have been linked to a variety of brain disorders, are also more active when sleep is deprived. With prolonged sleep deprivation, a person may be more susceptible to disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia due to an overactive brain. Make sure you’re getting your eight hours of Zs each night! Your brain health may depend on it.