Sleeping on the side is good for the brain

It is not new that the position in which a person sleeps can affect posture and digestion, but it turns out that the impact of the posture on mental health is enormous. New research has revealed its connection with the ability of the brain to carry out the correct metabolism, including removing harmful chemical substances from tissues. Thus, there are more and less preferable postures for sleeping.

Why sleep better on your side?

Scientists have found that sleeping on your side is better than on your back or on your stomach. This spatial position allows the body to more effectively get rid of chemical brain waste. A member of the University of Rochester (New York), Maiken Nedergard, who conducted a number of studies, notes an interesting fact: it is in this situation that most animals sleep most of the time, including wildlife dwellers, and people prefer this kind of pose . The scientist believes that in this position the brain is most effectively cleared of metabolic waste that accumulates during wakefulness.

In their experiments, researchers used the method of dynamic contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which made it possible to better understand the chemical changes in the internal structures of various brain tissues, in particular, the so-called glyphatic pathway (the system in which the cerebrospinal fluid is filtered, that is, the cerebrospinal fluid , And there is an exchange with the interstitial fluid surrounding all other cells of the body). This important physiological function allows you to get rid of waste and other chemicals that accumulate in the brain and are to be removed (for example, beta-amyloid and tau proteins). Their overabundance can cause Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

As experiments and clinical studies have shown, the process of removal of beta-amyloid is activated during sleep. But that is not all. The intensity of cleaning is influenced by the posture in which a person or animal sleeps.

Essence of experiments

Experiments were conducted on adult specimens of laboratory rats immersed in artificial sleep (subjected to anesthesia), and a loan placed in one of three positions (on the side, on the belly or on the back). Then the study was subjected to the glyphatic pathway of the brain of sleeping animals.

As explained by Dr. Ellen Benveniste, co-author of the study, the results of which were published in the journal Neurosins, the analysis showed that metabolism was most effective when sleep was observed exactly in the lateral position. As he believes, such conclusions are hypothetically applicable to people. The posture for sleeping on the side is clearly more preferable compared to the positions on the back or abdomen.

Is this true of people?

The example of "smaller brothers" indicates that mammals (dogs, cats and even elephants) prefer to sleep just like this, although the authors could not help but note that the typical behavior of a wild animal is also formed under the influence of survival conditions and, thus, may differ From the human. This study was conducted in rats and is not yet fully warranted to transfer its results to humans, although this is not such an incredible idea.

Many types of dementia are associated with sleep disorders, including those with difficulty in falling asleep. There are more and more signs that these disorders can accelerate memory loss in Alzheimer's disease. "Our findings provide a new perspective on this problem, showing the importance of posture during sleep," Nedergard concluded.