Sleep Well for a Healthy Brain: The Right Kind of Sleep Matters

Sleep is the time when our brains are cleansed and harmful proteins are removed. New research shows the depth and quality of sleep is as important as the amount of sleep. To best preserve our brain health and function optimal sleep should be the goal - not just better sleep - and it starts in childhood. According to a release from the Univ. of Rochester Medical Center, "[T]he depth of sleep can impact our brain’s ability to efficiently wash away waste and toxic proteins. Because sleep often becomes increasingly lighter and more disrupted as we become older, the study reinforces and potentially explains the links between aging, sleep deprivation, and heightened risk for Alzheimer’s disease.