A new study from Danish researchers sheds light on how sleep aids, such as zolpidem (commonly known by its brand name Ambien), may interfere with the brain’s natural process of clearing waste during sleep, New York Post reports.
This essential cleaning mechanism, called the glymphatic system, is crucial for maintaining brain health and may help prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The glymphatic system functions by flushing out toxins from the brain during deep sleep, driven by waves of the molecule norepinephrine. Researchers liken it to “turning on the dishwasher before you go to bed and waking up with a clean brain,” explained Maiken Nedergaard, senior study author and professor at the University of Rochester and the University of Copenhagen.
Using mice as subjects, the researchers discovered that the brainstem releases rhythmic waves of norepinephrine approximately every 50 seconds during deep sleep. These waves coordinate the expansion and contraction of blood vessels, propelling cerebrospinal fluid through the brain to remove waste products.
Lead author Natalie Hauglund, from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Oxford, described norepinephrine as the “conductor of an orchestra,” ensuring harmony in the process of clearing toxins.
However, when the mice were administered zolpidem, they experienced disrupted norepinephrine wave activity, leading to a 30% reduction in fluid transport through the brain. Despite falling asleep faster, the zolpidem-treated mice had less effective brain-cleaning processes compared to their naturally sleeping counterparts.
Although the study was conducted on mice, researchers believe the findings likely extend to humans. Hauglund emphasized the importance of understanding whether sleep induced by medication provides the same restorative benefits as natural sleep.
“More and more people are using sleep medication, and it’s really important to know if that’s healthy sleep,” she said.
Dr. Thomas Kilkenny, director of the Institute of Sleep Medicine at Northwell Health Staten Island University Hospital, echoed this caution. While he noted that no human studies have confirmed these findings, he advised considering the potential drawbacks of sleep aids.
“It would make sense to try to avoid sleeping pills for a lot of reasons… and this may be yet another reason on the list,” he said.
The study, published in the journal Cell, calls for further testing in humans to confirm the impact of sleep aids on the glymphatic system. For now, experts suggest that individuals relying on sleep medication should weigh its benefits against potential risks, including the possibility of reduced brain health over time.
As Hauglund pointed out:
“If people aren’t getting the full benefits of sleep, they should be aware of that so they can make informed decisions.”
