As is well known, if someone stays awake for a long time, they will sleep for a long time the next day to avoid the tiredness of sleep deprivation. However, researchers at Washington State University have now found a solution to this problem.
The researchers conducted experiments on mice, during which they activated astrocytes in the animals’ brains, which led to their appearance
The rodents stayed awake for six hours longer than expected and did not show the lethargy and physical lethargy associated with sleep deprivation.
The research leader said: “Usually prolonged vigilance increases the duration and intensity of sleep, but in this study we saw that despite staying awake for several hours, these rats did not differ from their well-rested peers.”
In the future, experts will also test this process on the human brain. The researchers hope so
The discovery can help beat fatigue for those who don’t have the chance to fall asleep on their own.
However, the study highlights that constant alertness is not sustainable in the long term, as sleep is necessary for body regeneration.
the New Atlas a report For years, researchers ignored astrocytes, believing them to be nothing more than a kind of link that holds the brain together. However, previous university research has shown that it does indeed play an important role in sleep, regulating the sense of time, mediating the effect of exercise on the brain and regulating inflammation.
In the future, the researchers plan to expand their studies into how astrocyte activation affects other biological functions such as learning, memory and attention.
