According to a recent report from the UK's Daily Mail, a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that sleeping position may affect the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's in old age. Sleeping on your side can help the brain's detoxification process, thereby reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
An early study from the University of Rochester in New York found that the body's detoxification process depends on the lymphatic system, and the brain has a unique way of removing waste. The latest study conducted by Dr. Maiken Nedergaard and her colleagues at the University of Rochester found that sleeping on your side can help the brain's detoxification process, reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
In the new study, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to analyze changes in the brain's "cleaning system" (also known as the glymphatic system) in rats. The effectiveness of the brain's detoxification system was compared under different sleeping positions, including side sleeping, prone sleeping, and supine sleeping. The results showed that sleeping on your side was the most effective way to clear waste from the brain. Dr. Nedergaard noted that it is interesting that side sleeping is the most common sleeping position for humans and most animals. Sleeping on your side is beneficial for brain detoxification, not only helping to keep the brain alert but also reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
