Why we need a good night’s sleep

(The independent): To sleep, perchance to dream, said Hamlet. Now scientists have shown that sleep is more about getting rid of the previous day’s mental rubbish than it is about dreaming. A study into slumber has found that the nerve connections built up in the brain during a busy day are pruned back during the night in an attempt to keep the mind from overloading on junk information. The findings lend support to the idea that a good night’s sleep is essential for consolidating important memories of the previous day and getting rid of things that would otherwise clog up the system.

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