"Sleep Briefly Resets the Brain"
New research from University College London reveals that during the first few hours of sleep, neural connections in the brain are partially weakened, rested, and reset, supporting the synaptic homeostasis hypothesis. This process, observed in zebrafish, is crucial for learning and memory, suggesting that sleep is essential for brain health and capacity to absorb new information. The study, published in Nature, also raises questions about the functions of sleep in the latter half of the night.