Concerns about neurodegenerative disorders or diseases have been high on the list of researchers because of the devastation they cause. The research has been ongoing for many decades. While some advances have been made in the discovery of certain substances that may lead to negative brain changes, we are still searching for that elusive answer.
One of the main questions being asked is what causes the brain to be unable to clear itself of metabolic byproducts from brain activity. In other words, it’s like what do you do with the “garbage” that is left over, and if you do nothing, is that what is causing the problem?
This appears to be the most promising track being pursued by research in understanding how the brain naturally attempts to clean itself, and what might be inhibiting this process – one of the factors may be aging. But what can we do since aging is a natural process? Can we facilitate this clearing process in some way, despite a person’s natural aging?
The cleaning process is essential if your brain is to continue functioning optimally. One of the disorders that has been associated with decreased brain function, cleaning, appears to be Alzheimer’s disease, and that is one of our most feared diseases.
Some of the most significant signs of Alzheimer’s disease are widespread amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Often, these abnormal changes are accompanied by the loss of neurons, white matter, and synapses —those tiny areas where all intercellular action takes place. It’s still not clear what causes these neuropathological changes, but it’s likely that both genetic and environmental factors play a role. But that does not diminish our having hope that certain activities now or in the future will be effective in protecting our brains.
As we age, our brains have a harder time removing cellular waste that accumulates and damages brain cells. The glymphatic system and the meningeal lymphatic system are two systems that work together to remove waste. The brain uses the glymphatic system, which doesn’t have any blood vessels, to get rid of cellular waste products and soluble waste proteins. As time passes, this system becomes increasingly vulnerable.
Findings that show less glymphatic clearance in aging brains indicate that both the rate of cerebrospinal fluid formation (we constantly produce cerebrospinal fluid, which must be used and then eliminated) and the rate of change slow down as people age.
Major health problems happen in the brain when this system stops working properly. This slowing down of waste removal allows amyloid-beta and tau proteins to build up, which causes neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity. Neuroinflammation, in fact, is not only implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, but most probably involved in numerous mental disorders.
After all is said and done, we are making headway, but there are no hacks, no magic formulas, no secrets – simply basic things we can do every day to help ourselves and keep our brains healthy. You may be doing them now, but you may not have realized the true benefit of some of these things, such as simple exercise once a day or even three times a week.
Yes, recent research with a small sample has discovered that there may be an opportunity for medical devices on the skin’s surface to remove some waste. The technique is called massaging, but it is too early to know if this will be a radical breakthrough that can be utilized by many of us. Presently, it is only being explored with animal models.
Let’s outline some of the things that researchers are recommending you consider in your plan to clean your brain and reward yourself with renewed cognition and life.
According to research on brain waste clearance, the following ways have been shown to improve the glymphatic system’s function in humans:
- According to a study from OHSU News and NIH, the glymphatic system works best during sleep, when waste proteins are removed from the brain. This means that the length and quality of deep sleep should be a top priority. Surprisingly, during sleep, the brain undergoes changes that act like a “washing machine” for waste to be efficiently removed, making sleep a vital component of this entire process.
To achieve quality sleep, people should aim to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night. Professional institutes suggest that sleeping on your side is the best position for improved glymphatic clearance, as it may help your body eliminate waste more efficiently.
2. Lifestyle Choices: Engaging in physical activity helps to alter glymphatic clearance and support vascular health in the brain, which is beneficial for the brain’s waste removal system.
3. Changes to the Diet: Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for the brain because they impact glymphatic clearance, aiding in the brain’s waste removal. Studies have shown that partial fasting enables the body to eliminate waste more effectively.
4. Limiting Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol impairs the glymphatic clearing process.
5. Reduce Stress: Long-term stress hinders the brain’s ability to eliminate waste.
6. Monitor Your Blood Pressure: For the glymphatic system to function properly, blood pressure must be under control, and arterial health must be optimal.
Now that we understand the importance of cleaning our minds and how we can support this natural process, we have the tools needed to help ourselves. Of course, as always, it’s up to each of us to decide what we will do, when we will do it and how much.
But the watchword has to be that we must do something because aging is going to undermine our brain cleaning activity. You don’t need to hire a cleaning service, because everything is at your disposal and within your discretion.
