{"id":24177,"date":"2020-09-24T07:27:25","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T07:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bengalnewstimes.com\/?p=24177"},"modified":"2020-09-24T07:27:25","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T07:27:25","slug":"sleep-builds-the-brain-in-the-early-years-then-maintains-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bengalnewstimes.com\/?p=24177","title":{"rendered":"Sleep Builds the Brain in the Early Years, Then Maintains It"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"News<\/p>\n

TUESDAY, Sept. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n

For the very young, sleep<\/a> builds and strengthens the brain, but it quickly switches to maintenance and repair before a child turns 3, new research shows.<\/p>\n

Before about the age of 2\u00bd, the brain grows rapidly. And during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep<\/a> a baby’s brain builds and strengthens synapses, which connect neurons to each other so they can communicate.<\/p>\n

After that, sleep<\/a>‘s main purpose switches to preserving function, and this role continues for the rest of your life, according to the study.<\/p>\n

“Don’t wake babies<\/a> up during REM sleep<\/a> — important work is being done in their brains as they sleep<\/a>,” said study co-senior author Gina Poe. She’s a professor of integrative biology and physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).<\/p>\n

Van Savage is study co-senior author and a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and computational medicine at UCLA. He said, “I was shocked how huge a change this is over a short period of time, and that this switch occurs when we’re so young. It’s a transition that is analogous to when water freezes to ice.”<\/p>\n

The research team’s analysis of dozens of sleep studies found that REM sleep<\/a> — when vivid dreams occur — decreases with growth in brain size.<\/p>\n

Newborns spend about 50% of their sleep time in REM sleep, but that falls to about 25% by the age of 10 years and continues to decrease with age. Adults older than 50 spend about 15% of their time asleep in REM sleep, the study authors said in a university news release.<\/p>\n

Adults have five REM cycles during a full night of sleep (about 7\u00bd hours) and can have a few dreams in each cycle, according to the researchers.<\/p>\n

They noted that a good night’s sleep helps keep the brain in good repair.<\/p>\n

“Sleep is as important as food,” Poe said. “And it’s miraculous how well sleep matches the needs of our nervous system.”<\/p>\n

The findings were published Sept. 18 in the journal Science Advances<\/i>.<\/p>\n

— Robert Preidt<\/p>\n

\"MedicalNews\"
Copyright \u00a9 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n


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QUESTION<\/h4>\n


\n Why do we sleep?<\/span>
\n See Answer<\/span>
\n<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

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References<\/p>\n


\n SOURCE: University of California, Los Angeles, news release, Sept. 18, 2020 \n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n