Brain Cells Take a Vacation During Sleep
A recent study in Science, reported that an electronic signal sent out during slow-wave — or deep — sleep indicates neurons are taking a break. Researchers believe the downtime allows a person to sleep through non-threatening interruptions, such as sounds or touches.
The researchers studied sleep patterns in eight patients who had had 24 microelectrodes implanted in each of their brains in order to detect epileptic seizures. In the deeper layers of the brain researchers discovered that, while they played quiet sounds, the brain produced a signal called a K-complex. The K-complex signals seem to be generated to quiet nerve cell activity when the brain considers a distraction to be harmless.
From National Sleep Foundation
