Want To Mind Your Brain As You Age? Be Sure To Get Enough Quality Sleep

When it comes to feeling our best in the long run, there are so many factors to consider, from heart health to metabolic health and, of course, brain health. And in the case of keeping our brains healthy, one factor that's often left out of the equation is sleep.

Sleeping is the body's primary way to rest and recharge, and that translates to the brain, as well. "Sleep is conducive to detoxification of the brain," Brownlow explains, and our glymphatic system1—the waste clearance mechanism for the brain—can kick into high gear as we rest.

In this way, sleep has a neuroprotective purpose, and it can protect us from some of the cognitive health changes often seen in older age. One 2015 study2 notes that sleep has been linked with improved memory recall and reduced mental fatigue, among other things. "When one sleeps, the brain reorganizes and recharges itself and removes toxic waste byproducts, which have accumulated throughout the day. This evidence demonstrates that sleeping can clear the brain and help maintain its normal functioning," the study authors write.

So, no matter what aspect of health you're looking to improve, if you're not getting enough sleep every night, you can bet that's a good place to start.

And to that end, there are a handful of things you can do to get better sleep each night. For one thing, having a bedroom that's cool, quiet, and dark never hurts. It's also important to keep a consistent sleep schedule (aka going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day) to keep your circadian rhythm regulated.