Glymphatic System
The brain's waste clearance mechanism -- a network of channels that flush cerebrospinal fluid through brain tissue to remove metabolic byproducts, including amyloid-beta and tau protein. It operates primarily during slow-wave (deep) sleep. Glymphatic dysfunction is implicated in Alzheimer's disease pathology, as waste accumulates when the system is impaired or sleep is insufficient. Aerobic exercise and quality sleep are the two lifestyle inputs most strongly associated with healthy glymphatic function.