Prolonged periods of poor sleep could result in these clumps accumulating to toxic levels, and these, in turn, could worsen sleeping difficulties in a vicious cycle (see “ Cleaning the Dirty Brain?”) The finding that the glymphatic system works best while we sleep helps to explain why sleep disturbances are linked to neurodegenerative diseases: Poor sleep hygiene likely reduces the efficiency of the brain’s waste disposal system, so that the insoluble protein clumps that would normally be cleared away by it remain in place. Alzheimer’s disease, for example, is associated with the deposition of two such proteins: amyloid-beta, which aggregates to form plaques around brain cells, and tau, which forms tangles inside them. Waste products cleared away by this system include insoluble clumps of misfolded proteins that are deposited in the brain these occur as a normal part of the aging process and also in neurodegenerative diseases. The brain disposes of its waste via the glymphatic system, which is thought to consist of a network of vessels that runs alongside blood vessels in the scalp and drains waste-filled cerebrospinal fluid from the organ. The brain does most of its housekeeping while we sleep, and one housekeeping duty in particular – waste disposal – seems to be acutely sensitive to a lack of sleep.

Sleep disturbances are associated with neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders, so maintaining good sleep hygiene likely reduces one’s risk of developing such conditions (see “ The Link Between Depression, Sleep, and Stress”).Ī new study now shows that just one night of sleep deprivation results in the accumulation in the brain of a protein implicated in Alzheimer’s, highlighting once again the importance of good sleep hygiene for brain health. It is also clear that sleep is vital for maintaining good overall brain health, and that prolonged periods of sleep deprivation can have severe consequences. We now know that sleep plays an important role in learning and memory, with the brain activity patterns associated with newly-acquired information being “replayed” during certain stages of sleep to consolidate it (see “ Decoding the Patterns in Sleep” and “ The Sleeping Brain”). The past two decades has seen huge leaps in our understanding, however. The average person spends 25 years, or one third of their lifespan, in this unconscious – and highly vulnerable – state and yet, the precise function of sleep eludes us. (Music to the ears of the growing number of people tossing and turning!) From sunrise alarm clocks to smart mattresses to next-gen trackers that help you zero in on potential weak spots, there’s something for everyone, depending on what stands between you and sweet repose.Īfter assessing hundreds of bedroom staples and “sleep-cessories,” we landed on the following 100 picks-all of which are beloved by WH editors and/or sleep experts and match shopping criteria recommended by the pros-such as key features, cooling and malleable materials, good old-fashioned comfort, and more.Sleep is what biologists call a primary biological need, something that no animal can live without, like food and water. Fortunately, there are a slew of products that offer natural and effective ways to retrain the mind and body for slumber and to stick to a consistent routine. The sleep enhancers that go the distance? Tools and technology that tackle the real culprits keeping everyone up at bedtime: tough-to-manage anxiousness that hits later and a malfunctioning body clock, experts agree. (A potential short-term Band-Aid-but not an effective long-term solve.) are also taking twice the amount of melatonin they did a decade ago, per a new JAMA study. That difficulty is further compounded by the complicated years we’ve been through: Up to 40.7 percent of adults reported sleeping less during the pandemic, one recent study found. That said, if you, like many, have trouble falling or staying asleep, it’s not as simple as overused advice (hit the hay earlier! Leave your phone in the other room!) makes it out to be.įor starters, among women, sleep problems are commonly caused by hormonal fluctuations related to menstrual cycles or menopause. The path to better mental and physical well-being is paved with an adequate amount of quality Zs, a growing body of research confirms.

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