Sleep’s role in brain health has long intrigued both researchers and the public. A recent Instagram reel by longevity doctor Dr Vass suggests that simple tweaks to your sleep environment and habits can significantly boost brain performance, without supplements or caffeine. He frames “sleepmaxxing” as performance training for the brain, arguing that while you rest, your brain “cleans itself … flushes out toxins and repairs connections.” Such claims resonate strongly with growing scientific interest in how slow wave (deep) sleep supports metabolic clearance, neural repair and cognitive resilience across the lifespan. Examining Dr Vass’s advice in the light of peer-reviewed evidence offers a useful bridge between digital wellness culture and rigorous sleep science.
What really happens in your brain during deep sleep
Dr Vass’s central claim, that deep sleep enables the brain to “flush out toxins”, aligns closely with what neuroscientists describe as the glymphatic system. This fluid-based network becomes particularly active during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) slow wave sleep, allowing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flow through the brain and clear metabolic waste, including proteins such as beta-amyloid. A review published in Sleep Medicine Reviews highlights this process: during sleep, glymphatic exchange increases, linking sleep disturbance to reduced clearance efficiency. Moreover, oscillations in vascular tone and low-frequency vasomotion appear to drive this clearance, suggesting that the microarchitecture of slow wave sleep is not merely passive but actively pumps CSF in and out. By framing deep sleep as a period of detoxification, Dr Vass draws on a concept that has substantial support in neuroscience, even if his presentation simplifies some of the underlying complexity.
Three tips to improve sleep and support better brain recovery:
- Cool your room to 18 to 20 degree Celsius.
- Swap your blue light for red light at least 30 minutes before bed.
- Try nasal breathing with gentle mouth tape or a nasal dilator.
1. The temperature trick that deepens your sleep
One of Dr Vass’s practical tips involves keeping the room cool. He says, “Cool your room to 18 to 20 degree Celsius, that helps to signal your body to drop into deep restorative sleep.” The physiological logic here is well founded: as you prepare for sleep, your core body temperature drops naturally, and a cooler ambient environment supports that process, making it easier to enter and sustain slow wave sleep. A research published in Springer Nature shows that interstitial fluid exchange increases during sleep under cooler conditions, and that the brain’s own clearance systems depend on temperature-driven vascular dynamics. Excess warmth, by contrast, can impair the body’s heat-loss mechanisms and fragment deep sleep. Therefore, maintaining a slightly cool bedroom may provide a reliable environmental cue for restoring and sustaining deep sleep.
- Keep the bedroom temperature in the range of 18–20 °C.
- Use breathable bedding and avoid heavy blankets if you tend to overheat.
- Let airflow circulate, whether by a fan, open vents or window, to assist natural cooling.
2. Why blue light keeps your brain awake
Dr Vass also advises a light hygiene strategy for the hour before bed: “Swap your blue light for red light at least 30 minutes before bed. Blue light tells your brain it’s noon. Red light says it’s night time.” This recommendation mirrors well-established findings about circadian regulation. Blue-wavelength light from screens and modern lighting can inhibit melatonin synthesis, delaying the brain’s transition into sleep-preparatory states. In contrast, red or warm-toned light has a much weaker effect on melatonin, which makes it more conducive to aligning your environment with your internal clock. Research in chronobiology supports the idea that altering evening light exposure can stabilise circadian rhythms, thereby improving the onset and quality of deep sleep.
- Use red or warm-tone lighting for at least 30 minutes before bed.
- Dim screens or enable blue-light filters in your phone, tablet or computer.
- Keep your bedroom lighting soft, indirect and calming in the lead-up to sleep.
3. The simple breathing habit that supports deep sleep
For his third tip, Dr Vass recommends “try nasal breathing … a gentle mouth tape or a nasal dilator can help keep oxygen levels steady, which can lower night time stress spikes and help your heart rate variability to climb.” This advice reflects compelling physiological evidence. Controlled nasal breathing has been shown to reduce nasal airway resistance and influence the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. A study in healthy volunteers found that unilateral nostril breathing slowed heart rate and reduced sympathetic modulation. This study published in European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology linked changes in nasal resistance to shifts in heart rate variability, suggesting that nasal patency and breathing patterns are closely tied to autonomic stability during sleep. By promoting consistent nasal airflow, one may reduce interruptions to deep sleep and help the body maintain a lower-stress, more restorative state.
- Practice nasal breathing, especially as you fall asleep.
- Ensure your nasal passages are clear (a saline rinse can help if required).
- If needed, try gentle aids like mouth tape or a nasal dilator, only if they feel comfortable and safe.
Are these small changes enough to deepen your sleep?
Dr Vass’s Instagram reel resonates because it conveys complex neurobiology in accessible, actionable terms. By recommending temperature control, light hygiene and nasal breathing, he provides concrete steps that map fairly well onto mechanisms identified in peer-reviewed research, from glymphatic clearance to melatonin regulation and autonomic balance. However, it is worth noting that the scientific literature tends to emphasise long-term patterns and consistent nightly behaviour rather than single-night hacks. Restorative brain function emerges not simply from isolated changes, but from sustained alignment between environment, habit and physiology. The reel’s advice may serve as an entry point or an accessible framework, but its real power lies in how these strategies integrate into a broader, research-informed lifestyle rather than in their immediate, one-off effect.Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, medication, or lifestyle.Also Read | India’s most common cancers start with silent symptoms: Oncologist reveals the first signs you must never ignore