By Prav Prathapan “Sleep’s the only medicine that gives ease.”—Sophocles. Sleep is something most of us take for granted. However, increasing research indicates that it significantly improves a range of conditions. Whilst many people may understand that sleep can broadly improve mood and stress, it is increasingly understood that ‘sleep hygiene’ can significantly address brain health. Sleeping for Brain Recovery Sleep is not merely rest. It is an active and essential process during which the brain repairs itself. During non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, the brain’s energy expenditure is about 85 percent of waking levels (1). The brain clears out metabolic waste products via the newly discovered glymphatic system and reinforces neural connections (2). For someone recovering from encephalitis (brain inflammation), for example, where inflammation might have damaged brain tissue and disrupted neural networks, this maintenance becomes critical. NREM slow-wave sleep and REM sleep serve vital functions: NREM slow-wave sleep aids memory consolidation and physical repair, while REM sleep handles emotional processing through vivid dreams (3). Sleep and Brain Injury Following an acquired brain injury …