Headspace: clearing out dangerous waste from your brain
When Riley Clemmons sings, "You can't have my headspace/Won't let you in my safe place," she's talking about defending herself from a toxic relationship. But she could just as well have been singing about the newly identified headspace in your brain that helps clear out toxic metabolic waste like tau proteins and amyloid, which are associated with Alzheimer's.
Researchers from Oregon Health & Science University are the first to provide visual evidence of a network of fluid-filled pathways alongside arteries and veins in the brain (called the glymphatic system). That system flushes out potentially harmful proteins and metabolic wastes generated by the brain's energy-intensive neural processes -- and transports non-waste products such as glucose, lipids, amino acids, and certain neurotransmitters.
The researchers also recommend that everyone who wants to keep their brains clear of these dementia risks adopt improved sleep habits. They think that is essential for an optimally well-functioning glymphatic system. The bottom line: Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, avoiding screens in the bedroom before you're headed to sleep, and adopting a relaxing pre-bed routine (maybe reading, taking a hot bath or shower, or meditating) are habits that are going to help clear toxins out of your headspace.
For more help improving your sleep habits, visit iHerb.com's blogs, "Understanding Your Sleep Cycle and Tips for Better Sleep; Sleep Quality" and "How to Practice Good Sleep Habits + 3 Natural Products for Sleep." And check out our book "You: Breathing Easy: Meditation and Breathing Techniques to Relax, Refresh and Revitalize."
Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).
(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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