Khaberni - During sleep periods, the brain's cleaning fluid moves as it should during sleep, but in case of short periods, the brain may replace focus by postponing the cleaning to a subsequent sleep period; the result is distraction the following day, as a recent study explained.
The study points to a surprising mechanism: the brain may temporarily switch to a sleep-like cleaning mode, even during wakefulness, which we describe as moments of difficulty focusing, or distraction.
According to "Health Day", a research team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported that short periods of distraction after lack of sleep are due to sudden movements of the fluid in the brain during the day, a process that usually occurs during deep sleep.
Cerebrospinal fluid
This fluid, known as "cerebrospinal fluid", helps remove waste accumulated during the day.
During sleep, this cleaning system works without affecting thinking.
However, when people suffer from lack of sleep, the study found that the brain may try to activate this system during waking hours, negatively affecting attention.
Dr. Laura Lewis, the lead author of the study on the movements of cerebrospinal fluid during wakefulness, said, "It comes with a negative effect on attention, as attention weakens during the moments when this wave of fluid flow occurs."
