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Brain Teaser

Challenge Your Cognitive Know-How!

By

Staying Sharp

Published April 01, 2026

What happens to the brain’s waste‑clearing system when sleep is cut short?

It works faster to compensate

It becomes less efficient at clearing toxins

It only slows down during REM sleep

It stops working entirely

During sleep, the brain clears out waste products — including proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease — more efficiently. Shortened or disrupted sleep reduces how well this cleanup process works. Click here to find out more about how sleep loss affects brain health.

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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