Working Double Duty
Dr. Maiken Nedergaard led the study. The brain expert says our brains perform two very different jobs. It seems they have daytime jobs. Later they “moonlight” at a nighttime job.
“Moonlighting” is working a nighttime job in addition to a day job. And this study says that is what our brains seem to be doing – working an extra job at night without additional pay for overtime.
“When we are awake, the brain cells are working very hard at processing all the information about our surroundings. Whereas during sleep, they work very, very hard at removing all the waste that builds up when we are awake."
The researchers say that the waste material includes poisons, or toxins, responsible for brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.