What Sleeping Position Is Linked To Dementia
A recent study has found that people who sleep on their side are less likely to develop dementia than those who sleep on their back or stomach. The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, looked at data from more than 1,700 people over the course of 10 years. The findings suggest that sleeping on your side may help to protect your brain from the damage that can be caused by dementia.
If you sleep on your side, your brain may be better able to clear out its waste during sleep. You could reduce the chances of developing neurological diseases like Alzheimers or Parkinsons disease by doing so. To make room for a side-sleeping pillow, make sure your sleeping position is set up properly.
Sleeping In This Position Reduces Your Alzheimer’s Risk Study Says
Some people know which position always works best for helping themselves fall asleep. For others, it can take some tossing and turning before you find just the right comfort level to doze off. And while it’s not uncommon to have woken up with back or neck pain from resting the wrong way, most assume the best way to sleep is whatever makes you most comfortable. But research has shown that sleeping in certain positions can benefit your brain by reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Read on to see how you might want to be catching your forty winks.
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The Relationship Between Dementia And Sleep
Sleep and dementia is a complicated topic. Different types of dementia are associated with different sleep problems. Researchers are also not yet sure which way the interaction goes – whether poor sleep causes or exacerbates dementia or if dementia leads to poor sleep. Some researchers believe that both of these theories could be true, and the relationship could be circular.
On top of this, it is unclear what the mechanisms are that underlie these interactions.
It is clear that more research is needed to understand this relationship in particular research that observes large groups of affected people for very long periods of time.
Dementia research volunteering
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What Is The Best Sleeping Position For Me
The best sleeping position for you is one you have chosen because it makes you feel comfortable, and has taken into consideration any medical conditions you have.
However you choose to sleep, youll want a comfortable mattress to do it on.
Not all mattresses lend themselves to multiple sleeping positions. Foam mattresses, for example, are notorious for melting into position and making it uncomfortable to move around. In fact, if youre older, it can be virtually impossible to get out of the indent you create.
And because we dont have much control over how we move around at night, you need a mattress that is going to allow you to move freely, or else your sleep will be disturbed.
Ely Mattress can help. Our natural mattresses are made from thirteen layers of goodness. Theyre comfortable whatever position you sleep in. Were so sure of that, we offer a thirty day sleep trial.
Plus our natural materials mean our mattresses are breathable, so they regulate your body temperature, and durable, which means they will last you a really long time. Ely mattresses come with a ten year warranty.
Simple Trick Could Fight Off Dementia
So much happens when nothing is happening.
Crazy, huh?
But it only LOOKS like nothings happening when youre asleep. In reality, theres a ton going on especially deep inside your brain.
And what happens in those hours at night could do a whole lot more than impact how you feel by day.
It could play a DIRECT ROLE in your Alzheimers risk and in ways youd never expect.
You might know, for example, that sleeping five hours or less a night could be really bad for your brain.
But most people dont realize that your sleep position could be just as important, with two positions in particular that could:
- WRECK your cells
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Dont Close Your Eyes To The Best Sleeping Position For Your Brain
If you sleep on your side, you can put your mind at rest about protecting the health of your brain. According to recent research, side sleeping enhances your brains ability to eliminate the built-up waste that can lead to neurological diseases. While MD Now is well known for quality medical care, our experts are just as concerned with your quality of life and want to help you protect your health in every possible way. Discover how the way you sleep can help you wake with a healthier brain.
The Bright Side of the Best Sleeping Position
Research shows that a side-sleeping position improves the brains glymphatic system, which is the cleansing system that removes waste from the brain. This waste is believed to contribute to the development of Alzheimers disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. By sleeping on your side, this waste is eliminated more efficiently and effectively. As a result, side sleeping is the best way to sleep for your brain.
Research Resting on Sleep Science
Wake Up to Natural Sleep Remedies
Rather than rely on sleep-inducing medications, doctors recommend using natural sleep remedies, such as these simple sleep suggestions:
Alzheimers: The Sleeping Position That Slashes Your Risk Of Developing Dementia
GETTING Alzheimer’s is a frightening prospect, and something most people will do whatever they can to avoid.
Eating better and taking care of your health is the first step, but also taking note of how you sleep could be beneficial.
Sleeping in a certain position helps lower the risk of dementia, studies have found.
Sleep expert Narwan Amini said: “Sleeping on your side has been found to be the most beneficial position for your brain, with the position helping your brain to clear out interstitial waste faster than other positions.
“This leads to multiple benefits including potentially reducing the risk of developing neurological diseases such as Parkinsons or Alzheimers.”
Sleeping on your side is generally considered the healthiest sleeping position – this is because it gives good spine support for your spine, while also minimising acid reflux.
The expert from eachnight.com also revealed the world position to sleep in for your overall health – on your stomach.
They said it can lead to strained muscles and joints, stiffness, back and neck pain.
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Mayo Clinic Minute: Sleep And Alzheimers Disease Connection
How often do you get a good night’s sleep? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend adults get an average of at least seven hours of sleep a night. Dr. Ronald Petersen, a Mayo Clinic neurologist, says prolonged lack of sleep could raise your risk of many health issues, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg is in the downloads. Read the script.
Getting a good nights sleep is important. Lack of sleep increases your risk of daytime sleepiness, weight gain and even heart disease. Now you might be able to add Alzheimers disease to that list.
Dr. Petersen says, There were several studies on the impact of sleep, on developing cognitive impairment and maybe even Alzheimers disease, showing that disrupted sleep, sleep apnea, various disorders of breathing can be deleterious with regard to cognitive function, and maybe even the development of Alzheimers disease.
Dr. Petersen says the theory behind the sleep-Alzheimers link has to do with a substance called amyloid.
Amyloid, one of the proteins thats thought to cause the disease, may build up in the brain normally throughout life, but, at night, when were sleeping, particularly when we get into deep sleep, the protein gets cleared from the brain.
So if you dont get into deep sleep, amyloid may not be cleared from your brain.
Sleep hygiene is very, very important.
Why Do Alzheimers Patients Not Sleep At Night
Dementia, according to leading experts, causes changes to brain cells in addition to influencing a persons circadian rhythm. When the individuals circadian rhythms are disrupted, he or she frequently finds it difficult to focus in the morning and evening. Dementia patients become tired during the day, take a lot of naps, and sleep until the early hours of the morning.
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The Best Sleep Position For Clearing The Brain Of Waste
On your side, face-up or face-down? The position which best clears metabolic waste from your brain at night.
Sleeping on your side removes waste from the brain most efficiently, a study finds.
As a result, sleeping in a lateral position may help reduce the chance of developing Alzheimers and other neurological diseases.
Professor Maiken Nedergaard, one of the studys authors, said:
It is interesting that the lateral sleep position is already the most popular in human and most animals even in the wild and it appears that we have adapted the lateral sleep position to most efficiently clear our brain of the metabolic waste products that built up while we are awake.
The study therefore adds further support to the concept that sleep subserves a distinct biological function of sleep and that is to clean up the mess that accumulates while we are awake.
Many types of dementia are linked to sleep disturbances, including difficulties in falling asleep.
It is increasing acknowledged that these sleep disturbances may accelerate memory loss in Alzheimers disease.
Our finding brings new insight into this topic by showing it is also important what position you sleep in.
The study of mice tested the brains clean-up mechanism in three different sleeping positions:
New Study Findings On The Link Between Insomnia And Dementia
There is no new evidence to support the link between insomnia and dementia. It is well known that dementia patients have a higher incidence of insomnia than other people. The key to understanding this relationship in the present is learning how things work. As dementia progresses, the brains ability to regulate sleep patterns decreases. As a result, insomnia and other sleep disorders can develop. According to a study published in the journal Neurology, dementia is more likely than other illnesses to cause primary insomnia. If you are suffering from dementia, insomnia can help with symptoms. If you are experiencing sleepless nights, you should consult a doctor. There are numerous options available to you, and you may be pleasantly surprised at what works.
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The Reduction Of Brain Waste Can Decrease The Likelihood Of Alzheimer’s Or Parkinson’s Disease
The results shed light on how the brain uses the time while we sleep to clear itself of potentially harmful chemicals, including amyloid and tau proteins that can lead to neurological conditions when they build up. Experts say this means that while resting in the lateral position has already been shown to provide support for the spine and reduce acid reflux, it could be good for brain health as well.
“Sleeping on your side has been found to be the most beneficial position for your brain, with the position helping your brain to clear out interstitial waste faster than other positions,”Narwan Amini, an expert with sleep health website Eachnight, told The Sun. “This leads to multiple benefits including potentially reducing the risk of developing neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.”
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Sleeping On Your Side May Be Linked To Alzheimers Disease
Sleep on your side may be linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimers disease, according to new research. In people with Alzheimers disease, the waste product beta amyloid is common, and sleeping on ones side appears to encourage its accumulation. Despite the fact that you should rest a lot, it is also critical to cleanse your brain on a regular basis. That might not be the best way to achieve it. It can also cause shoulder pain if you sleep on your side. When the shoulder muscles collapse into the mattress and up toward your neck, you may experience misalignment and pain the next morning. You should be able to find a position that will not put too much strain on your joints.
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Why You Shouldnt Sleep On Your Right Side
There are a few reasons why you shouldnt sleep on your right side. First, it can put strain on your liver and cause pain in that area. Additionally, sleeping on your right side can cause indigestion and heartburn, and it can also exacerbate snoring. Finally, if you are pregnant, sleeping on your right side can put unnecessary pressure on your vena cava, which is a large vein that carries blood from your lower body to your heart.
Nearly 74% of the population spends their nights on their side, with side sleeping being the most common sleep position. Which side of your body should you sleep on? Some medical professionals have found that sleeping on both sides can be beneficial. If you fall asleep on your left side, you may be able to open your airways and make breathing easier. If you frequently experience bloating or constipation, you may want to try sleeping on your left side. Sleeping on the right side of your stomach may be beneficial to people with digestive issues. People with heart conditions have a reduced risk of developing shortness of breath if they sleep on the right side, according to a 2003 study.
If you must sleep with your head facing North, you should place the pressure evenly across your body. Try to reposition your pillow to the point where it presses against your head rather than your neck or shoulders. These simple tips can help you sleep well at night and avoid headaches in the morning.
Study Revealed Two Sleep Positions That Increase Risk For Alzheimer Disease
Alzheimers disease is a degenerative condition that affects millions of people in the United States. This brain disorder causes a gradual mental decline, increased forgetfulness, personality changes, delusions, and a general decline of quality of life, so it is not surprising that many people wish to avoid contracting the condition.
Though new treatments are being developed for Alzheimers disease, research that focuses on methods of preventing this brain condition from happening in the first place are just as important. According to a research study that was just published in the Journal of Neuroscience, a surprising habit may be linked to an increased Alzheimers risk.
RELATED ARTICLE: Change Your Sleeping Position for Better Health
The study discovered that two separate sleeping positions may increase a persons risk of developing Alzheimers disease later in life. The most dangerous ways to sleep if you want to avoid getting Alzheimers disease are sleeping on your back or your stomach. This means any sleeping position where your weight is rested on your back and the back of your head or your stomach and the side of your face while you sleep can be somewhat risky. The researchers discovered that the most effective sleeping position if you want to lower your Alzheimers risk is a sleeping position where you lie on either side with your legs slightly bent.
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How To Improve The Glymphatic System Function
Even though experts are still learning about the role of the glymphatic system in neural functioning, there are small lifestyle changes that can improve brain waste clearance and minimize the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases. According to Wright, some of those changes include:
- Moderate consumption of alcohol In mouse studies, exposure to moderate amounts of alcohol was shown to boost lymphatic function, while high doses of alcohol had the opposite effect.
- Exercise Regular exercise has also been found to improve memory and cognition in neurodegenerative diseases and can help glymphatic clearance.
- Consuming certain vitamins Research shows that omega-3 or fish oil pills can help promote protein clearance from the brain and have a positive effect on glymphatic function.
While these are worth considering, Wright said more research is needed to focus on therapies directly targeting the glymphatic system to help those already suffering from these debilitating diseases.
Sleeping On Your Side May Help Clear Waste From Your Brain
According to a study published earlier this year, sleeping on your side may help to reduce waste in your brain and prevent Alzheimers disease. The study discovered that when you slept on your side, your brain secretes more beta-amyloid and tau than when you slept on your back. There is still much research to be done on this topic, but it appears to provide another reason for people to sleep well.
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Which Side Is Better To Sleep On For Your Brain
Image by: dailyhealthpost
There is no evidence that sleeping on one side is better for your brain than the other. Some people believe that sleeping on your left side may improve blood flow to your brain, but there is no scientific evidence to support this claim.
Side sleeping is one of the best ways to get the most hours of sleep, with 60% preferring it. Side sleeping can be beneficial in the treatment of neck and back pain as well as the prevention of snoring and heartburn. Experts advise sleeping on your side to alleviate sleep apnea symptoms. Depending on the medical issues that you are concerned about, you may or may not be required to sleep on the right side. For pregnant women and those who have gastroesophageal reflux disease , having the left side of the body may provide a more effective treatment. Some studies show a link between back sleeping and late stillbirths. Too soft a mattress can lead to heavier parts of your body sinking in deeply.
The 24-hour cycle of a living being is what governs its biological activities. In general, the body is programmed to sleep during the day and wake up at night. If you drift north when you sleep, your circadian rhythm will be disrupted and you will miss sleep cycles. If youre going to get a good nights sleep, avoid sleeping with your head pointing north. When you sleep with your head facing south, you align your bodys natural rhythms, which can help you sleep better throughout the night.