While You Were Sleeping, the Brain’s ‘Waste Disposal System’ Was at Work

It’s been known for millennia that the human body accumulates waste as a result of day-to-day functioning, but it’s now recognized that the awake, active brain also builds up waste that negatively affects neural function if not removed.

Thankfully, it was recently discovered that the brain has a garbage removal mechanism.

“The glymphatic system is a brain-wide network of perivascular spaces that facilitates the clearance of waste products from the brain during sleep,” Jeffrey Iliff, PhD, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences/Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, and researcher at the VA Puget Sound, Seattle, told Medscape Medical News.

This system “serves a similar function in the brain as the lymphatic system does in the rest of the body,” Iliff continued.

As a medical student he learned about the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounding the brain “we thought of it as an inert fluid with a primarily protective purpose, functioning as a sort of shock absorber,” he said. The reality is far more complex, and it’s now known that the CSF plays “an important part in cleansing brain tissue by removing waste products and conveying nutrients throughout brain tissue.”

Related Posts

Susan Stamberg, Trailblazing NPR Journalist, Dies at 87

Susan Stamberg, a pioneering figure and one of the founding voices of National Public Radio (NPR), passed away on October 16, 2025, at age 87. Known as…

Step back in time at Memphis’ legendary Arcade restaurant

Nestled in the heart of downtown Memphis, Tennessee, the Arcade Restaurant —now affectionately called Arcade Memphis — isn’t just a diner. It’s a living piece of rock…

The Trip That Taught Me What My Mother’s Love Really Meant

When my 71-year-old mother told me she was spending her savings on a trip across Europe instead of helping me with my bills, I felt betrayed. I…

The Secret My Grandmother’s Dog Led Me to Discover Changed Everything

When my grandmother passed away, her house quickly filled with relatives waiting for the reading of her will. While others whispered about jewelry, money, and property, my…

The Neighbor Who Feared a Rescue Dog Learned He Was Meant to Save Her Life

When Sarah and her husband adopted Cooper, a gentle rescue dog with a painful past, they vowed to give him the love and security he had never…

Remembering Ana: The 20-Year-Old Whose Story Is Inspiring a Global Conversation on Health Awareness

A story of love, loss, and awareness has touched hearts around the world following the sudden passing of 20-year-old Ana, whose unexpected health complications led to her…