Sleeping on your side rather than your back or stomach might play a role in helping reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases, according to a new study.
Side sleeping opens a passage in the brain called the glymphatic pathway that dispels waste and other chemicals, say the researchers from Stony Brook University in the U.S.
"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," says Dr. Maiken Nedergaard of the University of Rochester.
The team's research began years ago when they used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to observe the glymphatic pathway in rodents.
They learned that the waste-clearing process — bathing the brain with cleansing cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF) — is most efficient during sleep.
What gets flushed out the glymphatic pathway are amyloid β and tau proteins that are unhealthy in the brain if they build up.
In the study, lead author Dr. Helene Benveniste and her team used MRI technology and kinetic modeling to measure the exchange rates of the fluids CSF and ISF in rodents who had been given anesthesia as they slept on their sides, backs and stomachs.
Sure enough, technologies called fluorescence microscopy and radioactive tracing that gave the team a view of the glymphatic pathway revealed increased efficiency when the rodents slept on their sides.
Dr. Nedergaard says the results of the study serve as further proof that sleep serves a waste-eliminating function.
"Many types of dementia are linked to sleep disturbances, including difficulties in falling asleep," she says, suggesting that such disorders may be linked in some way to brain waste not being properly eliminated. "It is increasingly acknowledged that these sleep disturbances may accelerate memory loss in Alzheimer's disease."
Body posture and sleep quality should be assessed in humans as the scientific community begins to lay the groundwork for further research that could enrich our knowledge of these brain diseases, says Dr. Benveniste.
She cautions individuals that the team's research was conducted on rodents and that further experimentation will be needed to determine whether or not their conclusion applies to humans.
10 Symptoms For Alzheimer's
Misplacing things(01 of15)
Open Image ModalPeople with Alzheimer's may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and also accuse others of stealing. This may become more and more frequent. (credit:Cavan Images via Getty Images)
Finding it difficult to complete home tasks(02 of15)
Open Image ModalConfusion with time or places.(03 of15)
Open Image ModalProblems with speaking or writing(04 of15)
Open Image ModalFinding it hard to read and understand visual images.(05 of15)
Open Image ModalSolving problems.(06 of15)
Open Image ModalWithdrawel from social activities.(07 of15)
Open Image ModalSomeone with Alzheimer's may remove themselves from certain hobbies/interests and social activities. (credit:Ryan McVay via Getty Images)
Memory Loss(08 of15)
Open Image ModalMood changes.(09 of15)
Open Image ModalDecreased or poor judgment.(10 of15)
Open Image ModalBest not call after dark(11 of15)
Open Image ModalMany people with Alzheimer’s experience sundowning, or increased confusion and anxiety as evening approaches. For the best chance at communicating, call between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, recommends Lori Fleming, cognitive educator at Friends Fellowship Community in Richmond, Ind. “The evenings and early mornings are not good because their minds get wired up throughout the evening and, occasionally, it causes people with sundowners to kind of stay up really late,” says Fleming. (credit:Shutterstock)
But absolutely make the call(12 of15)
Open Image ModalRegular communication is the most crucial and valuable component in keeping the relationship ongoing and strong. During conversations, keep the sentences and dialogue short and simple. Keep the call itself short, too. “Little two-, three- and four-minute phone calls are probably better than 15-minute phone calls,” says Angela Lunde, dementia education specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. (credit:Shutterstock)
Who is this?(13 of15)
Open Image ModalDon’t pressure the loved one with Alzheimer’s to recognize you. Simply say who you are and why you’re calling. You might be tempted to ask the Alzheimer’s sufferer if they know with whom they’re speaking. Don’t. This question can cause discomfort and anxiety. If they don’t make the connection, just continue talking to them. (credit:Shutterstock)
No harm in a little lie(14 of15)
Open Image ModalFamily members will often notice that their relative suffering from Alzheimer’s is saying things that obviously aren’t grounded in reality. Don’t correct them. "In Grandpa’s eyes, it’s his life, his story, and that’s his reality in that moment,” explains Lunde. Going along with the incorrect stories isn’t contributing to “Grandpa’s” delusions or supporting his “lies.” In her support groups, Lunde doesn’t use the word “lying;” instead, she and the group members call it “therapeutical fibbing.” (credit:Shutterstock)
Letters are touchable memories(15 of15)
Open Image ModalLong-distance family members shouldn’t overlook snail mail. Loved ones with Alzheimer’s respond extremely well to letters and cards because they can read and look at them every day. “They’re a constant reminder that they have a connection to somebody, and that’s what I think makes it probably even more valuable than a phone call,” says Lunde. (credit:Shutterstock)