You probably don’t need that detox drink, tonic or supplement. Experts regularly emphasize that there’s no need to flush yourself “clean” because the body has its own detoxification systems, and one of the most impressive among them is the process that happens in the brain, as long as yo u prime it to happen. That primer is sleep — consistent, deep and restorative sleep. “Sleep is one of the best detoxes that we have,” Dr. Ayesha Sherzai, neurologist and researcher, tells TODAY.com. “We have a very elegant cleansing system (in the brain) that gets activated when we sleep,” she explains. Think of it, she says, like a washing machine that will turn on only when you reach the deepest stages of sleep. “It essentially collects all the trash and dumps it out of your system,” she says. “It doesn’t turn on when you skip a night’s sleep, if you have too much caffeine or you do things that disrupt your sleep.” Health Wellness May 10 8-second breathing exercise for when you wake up in the middle of the night Health Wellness Apr 15 What to eat in a day and what to avoid for better sleep at night, according to a dietitian What is a brain detox? “It essentially means taking in something or doing something extra to cleanse the brain,” says Sherzai. A true brain detox, however, can’t be bought or sold. “There are products out there in the market labeled as brain detoxes, but as a neurologist and as a scientist, I’m here to tell you that the concept of brain detox and all the products around it is a misconception and false information.” You’ve already got what you need. The brain’s janitor, Sherzai calls it, is the glymphatic system. The glymphatic system flushes out lactic acid, protein and potassium that the brain uses for energy for a day of thinking. Once the brain has gotten the fuel it needs, the waste gets left behind. While it works around the clock to rid your brain of waste, the gylmphatic system is most effective when you’re asleep, research has found, Sherzai says. At the deep-sleep stage, channels in the brain expand significantly, allowing the brain’s fluids to efficiently drive the leftover waste product out of the brain, Sherzai says. The waste will be transported to the bloodstream, then into the kidneys and liver for elimination from the body, she adds. A brain that’s sleep-deprived, however, won’t clear everything out, says Sherzai. And when anything the brain has no use for shelters for too long in the brain, it can have long-term harmful effects, according to the Cleveland Clinic. How to help your body do a brain detox “We all need about seven to eight hours of deep, restorative sleep,” says Sherzai. “That means that it is uninterrupted. It allows you to go through different stages of sleep.” Those stages include the deepest sleep stage, which is when the cells in the glymphatic system are activated. To get there, Sherzai says to sleep in a dark, quiet and cool environment, “anywhere between 68 and 72 degrees,” she recommends. Avoid eating at least two hours before sleep, avoid alcohol and restrict your caffeine intake to the first half of the day. If you find your mind racing once your head hits the pillow, Sherzai recommends cognitive behavioral therapy to address your anxieties and worries during waking hours. This way, you’ll stop associating bedtime with stress. If you need to use the bathroom or if noise wakes you up in the middle of the night, Sherzai assures you can fall into deep sleep again as long as you don’t get too alert and avoid blue light. Sit in quiet darkness until you feel sleepy again, then return to bed when you’re ready for sleep. Sleep hygiene can also start during the day, Sherzai points out. The key is a lifestyle focused on minimal alcohol, which can prevent restful sleep, avoiding ultraprocessed foods linked to disease, and moving your body. To help, she says to remember “NEURO,” an acronym for all the lifestyle habits that will keep you feeling your best. Nutrition: Leafy vegetables and fruits, including blueberries, are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can reduce the risk of cognitive decline, Sherzai said. Exercise: “Leg strength is a very good predictor of your brain strength,” Sherzai says. She recommends making time for squats, lunging and walking. Unwind: This helps with stress management. And make time for “good stress,” the kind you have control over, says Sherzai, such as classes or dancing. Restorative sleep: Create a bedtime environment that’s ideal for sleep, and make enough time for sleep. Optimize: Prioritize cognitive activities to keep your mind working in the right ways. Many different hobbies can support brain health, TODAY.com previously reported. “If you pay attention to these things, you don’t have to buy a vitamin,” says Sherzai. “You don’t have to pay (for) a membership or any protocol or anything of that nature (to detox your brain).” “If you take care of the brain, you’re taking care of the rest of the body,” she says. They work in a “beautiful, synergistic way.” This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY: The No. 1 healthiest plant-based milk with the most protein, according to a dietitian 11 nutrient-dense foods you should eat instead of taking supplements, according to a dietitian Do any supplements actually boost fertility? This 1 might be worth trying, expert says ...read more read less