I think we can all relate to that “foggy” feeling after a bad night’s sleep…it feels like the ol’ cogs are just not moving… we get irritable, short-tempered, unable to focus, less productive, emotional, we eat more (sometimes eating more of the foods we know aren’t the best choices for us), and it all contributes to stress (which further contributes to more bad sleep)! And what do all of these things do to our brains? Toxify.
And not only that, BUT we have a built-in brain-cleansing system called the glymphatic system, which very interestingly goes to work while we sleep. There is much evidence that supports the notion that the glymphatic system is the brain’s detoxifying system, clearing out metabolic waste that accumulated during the day. So, when we do not get proper sleep, this process cannot happen effectively. Proper timing, length and depth of sleep enables the glymphatic system to eliminate potentially neurotoxic waste products, including β-amyloid plaque.
Here are some more indirect and direct ways of how sleep is incredibly supportive of brain health!
Good sleep (quality and quantity) helps support our brains INDIRECTLY by supporting:
- metabolism,
- hormone balance,
- immune system,
- our ability to cope with stress, and
- our good gut bacteria, which further help detoxify our bodies by breaking down toxins.
During sleep is when our brains carry out critical functions, in addition to the abovementioned clean out of toxins and metabolic waste. So good sleep helps support our brains DIRECTLY by helping:
- process information,
- learn new things, and
- store information and memories.
Here are some tips to help promote better sleep and support your brain’s detox system:
- Boost your intake of magnesium-rich foods.
Magnesium is known as the anti-stress mineral, is a muscle-relaxant, helps promote good sleep, and helps in mood-balancing. Some of the best food sources of magnesium: legumes, particularly soybeans; nuts (almond, pecans, cashews and Brazil nuts) and seeds; whole grains (wheat, millet and brown rice); dark green leafy vegetables (e.g., kale and spinach); cacao nibs; blackstrap molasses; avocado; dried apricots.
- Take a warm bath with magnesium-enriched bath salts before bedtime.
- Avoid caffeine after 2:00p.
- Drink lots of water during the day, but stop by about 6:00p, if waking up during the night for a trip to bathroom is an issue for you.
- Use a diffuser with lavender oil in your bedroom.
- Keep your bedroom cold.
- Stop using devices at least an hour before bedtime (or use blue-light blocking glasses).
- Keep a journal next to your bed to jot down stressful thoughts that are preventing you from going to sleep. This way you pay respect to your thoughts and are telling them that you will do a much better job of dealing with them after a good night’s sleep.
If you are interested in learning about more ways to ensure a better night’s sleep, call the clinic and book an appointment. Each of our practitioners can help you boost your sleep through their own special skills and modalities.
