Sleeping pills may have unexpected effects on the snoozing brain

A mouse study points to pitfalls of sleep aid use and raises questions about sleep's jobs

An illustration of beds floating above the ground.

While asleep, the brain gets a bath that clears waste products. Sleep aids such as Ambien weaken this power washing cycle in mice.

OsakaWayne Studios/Moment/Getty Images, T. Tibbitts

So many of us struggle to fall asleep and stay there through the night.