A late night at work, too many things on the to-do list, or maybe you were startled awake by a nightmare . . .
. . . most of us have experienced lack of sleep at some point in our lives (and for some, it can feel more like the norm than the exception).
But, missing out on sleep can lead to learning difficulties, problems with motor control, and general irritability – it just makes our brain unhappy.
So what exactly is going on when we do get a good night’s sleep that helps us feel so refreshed and clear-headed?
Well, a couple years ago, Maiken Nedergaard, MD, DMSc and her team of researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center discovered important mechanisms in the brain that are responsible for preventing waste products to build up. They called it the “glymphatic” system.
Essentially, the glymphatic system flushes fluid from the brain through the space between brain cells, carrying away any “debris” to the liver, where it gets disposed.
More recently, Dr. Nedergaard had a hunch that the sleep-wake cycle might play a role in regulating the glymphatic system, so she set to work using new imaging technology called two-photon microscopy to examine the brains of live mice.
Researchers did a series of experiments looking primarily at the amyloid-beta, a natural byproduct of brain function that, when it builds up, can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
During the experiments, the researchers compared the brains of mice who were awake, mice who were asleep, and mice who were under anesthesia to see if there was any difference in the way the glymphatic system worked to flush out the amyloid-beta protein.
So what were the results?
Well, researchers found that during sleep, the glymphatic system was 10 times more active than it was while the mice were awake. Not to mention, sleep helped rid the brain of more amyloid-beta than other brain toxins.
And brain cells actually shrank by 60%, causing more efficient movement of the brain fluid that flushes toxins away.
So the brain is performing some important maintenance while we sleep, allowing us to not only feel refreshed, but actually wake up with a clearer head – so to speak.
Now, although this study was done using mice, the results still suggest that sleep is something to add to the list of things that can promote brain change, given the similarities between the mouse brain and the human brain.
If you’re interested in reading more, the full study can be found in the October 2013 issue of Science.
And to find out more ways you can change your brain and live a fuller, bigger life, check out our Practical Brain Science webinar series.
What are some techniques you or your clients have used to get a better night’s sleep? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
can not seem to get pass the sign in. I write words in crypt. I read a few paragraphs in all topics but nowhere else to view. Help.
…….And “secret services” or “secret police” know the devastating effects of sleep
deprivation and use it to torture their subjects!
Anyone?
thank you, ruth buczynski!!!
in my humble opinion your work not only saves brains from declining, but also people’s lifes.
offering your knowledge for free is astounding.
hopefully i will one day even get rid of the panic attacks.
thanks!!! ,sigrid
More information is always a move forward!
Thank you, this is very interesting and after practicing Mindfulness meditation in the late evening for a long period of time I have certainly noticed a huge improvement in my sleep pattern.It does help you to relax before sleep.
I sleep much deeper and wake feeling much more refreshed and alert than I ever did.
I certainly notice that if I miss doing the meditation which is rare I do notice the difference. I don’t sleep well and wake up irritable, tired and unfocused.
Ration breathing is good for getting off to sleep.
What is ration breathing?
Thank you for this information. I had read about the study before. I would love to see this research extended to comparing what happens with brain cells and fluid movement between them during deep states of mindfulness meditation, or the states of fluid stillness we enter into in craniosacral therapy or Continuum Movement practices.
As a survivor of TBI/PTSD, I had Brain-Spect imaging done. It shows that my limbic system is on high alert day and night, so it gets no rest, which has meant lots of problems with sleep, adrenal fatigue, and Hashimoto’s. I’ve been doing Interactive Metronome and am seeing much better sleep. It seems to have calmed my system down enough to get better sleep. If I wake I take some GABA and use Belleruth Naparstek’s “Health Sleep” CD, which I practiced with in the afternoons for over a month, and go back to sleep very quickly. I’ve also just discovered in the last week, that because of adrenal fatigue if I abstain from sugar I am much less likely to wake up. It’s only been a few days, but I’m hopeful!!
Thank you for this article, Ruth. So many of my patients/students suffer mysteriously from the inability to sleep. We know from studies of people who do mindfulness training that reduced morning cortisol levels are associated with better sleep during the night.
Your video on strategies for improving sleep is wonderful in the way it encourages people to shift their automatic response to unfamiliar things, to practice a new personal, philosophical and neurological habit to reduce the stress of things feared.
Regarding this video on learning new things for brain health, your mindfulness series also pointed out that learning mindfulness skills involves shifting from one’s usual perceptions and reactions (auto-pilot) to an increased capacity to choose one’s focus of attention. Mindfulness skills are not mentioned in this video, but certainly your previous offerings, and hundred’s of studies, suggest that learning new mindfulness skills opens up a new kind of comfort zone, firing up the wiring of new neuronal responses to what was formerly stressful. Mindfulness changes wiring/firing/and experiencing. Happily so for many people. Thanks again.
What are the effects of taking an ounce of brandy on the body and mind including the brain before going to sleep everyday.
Alcohol will put you you to sleep more quickly , but it is disruptive to sleep later on.
“When you take a swig of alcohol, it goes right into the bloodstream, and it’s in your brain within minutes.
Alcohol mimics gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. When bound to a GABA receptor on a neuron, alcohol allows the influx of negative (or efflux of positive) ions, giving the cell a more negative charge. Thus, the neuron’s attempt to fire an action potential is thwarted. Alcohol also inhibits the brain’s major excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate, by blocking function at glutamate’s NMDA receptors.
Since glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons comprise 90 percent of all brain cells, this is a pretty big deal. Especially since alcohol also enhances GABA absorption back into the neuron, and even more especially since GABA is recycled into glutamate in a vicious cycle: After an evening of drinking, the theory is that GABA dominates the first half of the night, allowing us to fall asleep (and deeply!). But once GABA is metabolized, much of it becomes the excitatory glutamate. And it’s in glutamate-releasing brain regions (such as the reticular activating system which partially modulates sleep/wake and arousal) that the midnight disruptions kick in.
Is one drink before bed going to affect that much?
A typical person can metabolize something like a quarter of an ounce of alcohol each hour — which is quite slow, given the speed at which it’s absorbed.
So keep the drink small, and keep it early. An evening cap.”
This was excerpted from the Washington Post, December 2, 2013
Years ago, Gaylord Houser, a nutritionist to the stars, recommended for those that had a challenge getting to sleep should make yourself a mental cocktail. While lying in bed one needs to go through their senses, one at a time, bringing to mind the nicest thing they ever felt, saw, heard or tasted. I never got through the whole series of senses. By time I recalled the sweet smell of my grandmother’s Tweed cologne, the smooth feeling of my aunt’s monkey skin coat, the delightful taste of gramma’s pancakesssss, zzzz I was in dreamland. Conjuring up pleasant memories relaxed me and put me to sleep. Be blessed, Joan
I am just learning about flouride and the pineal gland where melatonin is produced. By the age of 17 the pineal gland is calicified by a majority of the population and polluted by flouride. Using iodine to remove the flouride may increase the production of melatonin seratonin and DMT.
In May, 2013, The Center for Disease Control defined sleep deprivation as a major public health problem.
My sleep deprivation comes from getting really excited about creative work, enjoying those late hours of follow through and writing, partly stimulated by your amazing contributions, Ruth. Help!
I would be interested in the relationship between dreaming and flushing.
I’m confused by the article summary stating that “..brain cells shrank by 60%” (evidently during sleep). The wording seems ambiguous, but possibly the insomniac brain cells became toxically swollen with accumulated glymph & thus the smaller size from sleep is a Good Thing? Thanks for any clarification, hopefully from someone who read the research paper in it’s entirety.
After reading and turning the lights off, I begin to make a list in my mind of what I feel grateful about during the previous day, and am usually asleep before I get to the third thought.
All these ideas remind me of the time I was speaking with a psychiatrist who said he slept very well. He then ran through some of the tactics he used and teas that he drank. After finishing, he paused briefly and then added ..”and also sleeping pills”.
For Mary, Ireland: program yourself that each hour counts for two.
Tips: go to bed in time, preferably way before midnight. Let the day pass in your mind, forgiving yourself for caused stress, and listen to a reprogramming tape of 30-60 min., either recorded by yourself, or from somebody else. The subconscious will install the message, so make sure it is a supporting one. For me this works fenomenal.
Gentle yoga, especially forward bends, breathing into the belly, using the practice of self hypnosis, and/or listening to a guided full body relaxation are all excellent ways to get a restful sleep. It is also helpful to simply think of and visualize as much as possible something pleasant before falling asleep. Perhaps recalling a recent vacation, or thinking of someone you love whom you have a good relationship with. If that does not help, have a session with a certified consulting hypnotist.
Good luck and good night,
Anika
First I would like to say congratulations for all you do , I am from Queens oangirlly and currently live in Syracuse nY if people were in touch wih thier community and cared things would be better, Syracuse no better you live here why do you throw trash everywhere etc. I would like also to say Hello to my friend Tanya Rodriguez from years gone by Hello. Please excuse my grip session I served this country for 9 years and nothing chaned still treated like second rate well I got to start my day Have a great day all
Nothing can either keep me awake or awaken me at night like unresolved conflicts. I find the best way to handle this is to place this inner conflict on a scale of one to ten and decide if I can postpone
dealing with it. Most often, I can delay trying to resolve it so I can relax and go to sleep. Very seldom do I try to solve the problem right away.
Other times, I drink a cup of milk or camomile tea or even ginger tea to help me calm down and relax sufficiently to sleep. I agree sleep is medicine and without sufficient amounts we will get sick.
Count backwards from 100.
Eat some protein before bed. Cut out sugar and booze, esp at the end of the day.
Passionflower, scullcap, california poppy, relaxing sleep tonic tinctures from Herb Pharm.
Dark bedroom.
in bed by 10pm (Ayurvedic reccommdation)
Don’t work on the computer before or watch violent TV programs
Melatonin works for some, but since it is a hormone, should only be used occasionally
I appreciate the many helpful suggestions that readers have offered in this space such as Exercise during the day, create a good sleep hygiene routine such as non-caffeinated tea, warm milk, lights out, darkened room, use of melatonin.
Other ideas: avoid alcohol in excess, avoid vigorous exercise, any food intake in the last two hours before bedtime. Include gentle stretching before bed, learn about and incorporate simple mindfulness meditation techniques. I also listen to Steven Gurgevich, PhD’s CD’s. A 2-disc set, “Deep Sleep with Medical Hypnosis” is good, and he has others. Body Scan CD’s are helpful. Affirmations are also helpful, such as Belleruth Naperstek’s offerings. Search your local library system for CD’s along these lines. You can upload them into your system such as iTunes for free.
Learn about mindfulness meditation and self hypnosis, I imagine Rick Hansen’s presentation tomorrow will include it. Try to develop positive thought circuitry in your brain via these processes. An empowered self that circumvents the “negativity bias of the brain” as described by Rick Hansen and others is so important in creating the inner peace so essential to restful sleep.
Take care to use critical thinking. Not all medications are toxic evil agents. For example, chronic pain sufferers are helped immensely by medications that break the pain response circuitry in the brain. Don’t reject medical solutions out of hand. Combining non-medical approaches with recommended medications is not a bad decision.
Finally I would respond to Dave Carrick, of the UK, who offers remarks, below. He takes a political swipe at Margaret Thatcher, and celebrates that she died as an Alzheimer’s Disease sufferer. He misuses the the concept of Karma in his horrid justification. Mr. Carrick, it is not helpful to try to drag your politics into a discussion about sleep research. It may be fashionable in many circles to bash conservatives, but I find that when this occurs the participants have often chosen to remain uninformed. You can disagree without being disagreeable, but to do so you must first take the view of the other side. Considering other points of view without rancor can lead to peace of mind and peaceful sleep, too! Rick Hansen and others describe the “reptilian brain” as the oldest part of the brain in an evolutionary sense. Allowing this part of the brain to dominate our thoughts and behaviors leads to harshness, negativity, and unthoughtful behaviors and reactions. This is the opposite of good sleep hygiene, which should be practiced 24 hours a day. Mr. Carrick, perhaps you’d benefit from learning about how to think and express yourself with equanimity. It would make you a more useful practitioner of hypnotherapy. The negativity and harshness that emanate from you likely spills over into your practice and therefore your clients might well be short changed in being treated by you. In plain words: Lighten Up!
Drink a strong cup of chamomile tea – loose tea – freshest you can find – not in the bag – brew about
1 T. covered for about 7 minutes, drink and eat the flower residue you will find in the cup.. Then sweet dreams quickly.
Have any supplements or drugs been shown to enhance the process of the glymphatic system flushing waste products from the brain? Or have any been show to have the opposite effect? What about other lifestyle factors, such as exercise?
Thanks for this interesting information. I recently have become interested in melatonin, initially as an aid to sleep, but have found out how many more functions it plays in our overall health. The information indicates that it is an excellent antioxidant, provides cardiovascular and heart protection, has anticarcinogenic properties , protects against diabetic complications, delays Alzheimer’s (the Beta Amyloid flushing may be part of that), combats obesity, and helps prevent osteoporosis. Of course,
some of these items overlay; for example obesity is a major cause of diabetes which is highly related to development of both Alzheimer’s and cancers. Much of this was found in a Sept. 2012 publication of Life Extension.
Melatonin worked wonderfully for me! However, when my mother was diagnosed with melanoma, her oncologist told her and all of her children not to take it anymore as it could ‘feed’ the melanoma. I regrettably stopped. Our father was able to continue using it, as he was not related biologically to our mother. Good luck!
Dawn, as one who had a melanoma many years ago, but recently discovered the enhanced sleep effects of melatonin, I was concerned to investigate further. This article from Livestrong.com seems to state the opposite to the advice given your mother. Melatonin might actually be beneficial to protect against cancers, including melanoma. There does seem to be some concern around eye cancer, however. You might want to check this article out.
It is right, sleep is something that many times we can underestimate; my personal experience was that the stress effect is possibe to overcoming it by following the three ‘8’ rule from Maria Cano, the activist person who lived by the years 30’s of last century in Colombia. She use to say that you must have divided your dayly time in three: 8 hours for working, 8 hours for sleeping and 8 hours for the other things. I followed that rule when I suffered a supposlly Menier syndrome, but I realized that by that time I was sleeping only 4-5 hours a day. Changing to sleep 8 hours helped me a lot maneging that dissorder.
The best way to me in order to sleep well is to take advantage of the 8 hours working, and do some physical excercise during the day: walking but a speed no so fast but neither so slow. Well balanced and properly eating can also help to have a good sleep, since when you eat fruits at night your digestion process is well done, without interfering with the other processes of your organism.
Many times when I get into bed early in an effort to get “a good nights sleep”, my body says, “what are you kidding me? It’s way to early for this!” Then of course, just to make matters worse when I am just about to fall asleep someone calls… that’s it… My body is then more awake then it was when I first tried to fall asleep. To try and calm my body and mind down the most effective thing I have found is visualization. I visualize my muscles literally melting, one at a time… I pay attention to my breath as I breath slowly… when thoughts come into my mind I simply see them and watch then disappear… I also use oils on the bottom of my feet and on my pillow – peace and calming and lavendar… if that doesn’t work read a boring book.
I make sure my bedroom is completely dark. I even cover the light on the clock.
Light depletes the natural melatonin in the body.
the group of healers I work with and I have been working with crystals, copper tools, and orgonite. we are having incredible results with our clients and in our own lives. We work on a premise that its a frequency issue. Many things are now in our world that disturbs our frequency and is the basis for many health issues-physical and mental. Your work is very exciting.
At age 34, I began having epileptic seizures. The experience cracked my entire world, as I stumbled around desperately looking for some medical help that went beyond taking toxic pharmaceuticals all my life. My poor sleep cycles were clearly interwoven into my illness. However, it wasn’t clear if seizures were causing poor sleep or poor sleep causing seizures. Doctors were of no help solving the problem, those I talked to literally claimed the problems weren’t related. The insanity of the situation fed my growing state of insanity. When I took my healing into my own hands and made a organized effort to improve my sleep by simply following my circadian rhythms, turning off lights at night, drinking a cup of chammomile tea before bed, and meditating regularly, my sleep improved greatly. As my sleep improved, I had fewer and fewer seizures. After doing my own study of sleep and seizures, I began to believe and still do, that my body/mind confuses seizures and sleep, waking me up in the night because it reads certain stages of slow wave sleep as a seizure it wants to avoid. I spent the last several years writing my true story about living with chronic illness in the United States. It’s called SEIZED and can be found on amazon.com. Sleep played an large role in that story.
That’s the best answer by far! Thanks for coiittburnng.
I do Dr. David Berceli’s tension and trauma release exercises (TRE ) daily.
What a great post, Ruth! And, I completely agree! My beautiful mother has Alzheimer’s. When my father passed away suddenly at 45, my mother began an irregular sleeping pattern that continued for the next 30 years…she awoke every hour or so, wandered around the house, drifted off again…. I believe strongly that this contributed greatly to her current condition. Beyond that, I KNOW I am smarter, happier, and nicer when I get lots of sleep. Period.
I am signed up for the webinar series – and will be tuned in tomorrow to learn from Rick Hanson!
Thank you!
I sometimes have trouble getting to sleep.
Many of these responses are very interesting and doable!. I am going to try some of the meditation techniques and also try to find out what is “qikong” as suggested by Paola. Will also look into “Sophrology”.
Thanks to all for the information,
Susan
Before getting ready for bed I do a session of the 1st set of Shi-bah-fah. These are 18 gentle stretching exercises done with a concentration on inhaling and exhaling, thus relaxing the muscles, joints, and mind. The peacefulness that results always sends me off to sleep right away.
Can you direct us to information on Shi-ba-fa?
As a chronic pain sufferer, I know how important sleep is to me. Having completed a pain rehabilitation program, the two most important things that were reinforced were gentle yoga/stretching and good sleep (my personal regimeine is more holistic and includes clean eating and environment that is as non-toxic as possible). The really good news about sleep is that most people respond to a sleep hygiene program that is lifestyle oriented, not medication-centered, but it takes some effort. Don’t look at back-lit screens an hour or two before bed. Determine your no caffeine zone. Dim the lights in the evening. Remove electronics (as a temptation) from the bedroom. I go further and do a nasal cleansing and breathing exercises before bed, and listen to a guided meditation. From a yogic perspective I try to make lifestyle decisions to decrease toxins and increase prana (energy). It likes like my brain was telling me that from the get-go.
In many homes, bad indoor air quality is coupled with sleeping areas where electrical exposure from live electrical wiring in ceilings, walls and floors, televisions, sound systems, computers and cell phones is thousands of times stronger than the body’s own electrical system. One of the effects of long-term exposure to these high level electric fields can be impairment of the body’s ability to communicate within itself, which impacts health and…the body’s ability to relax and sleep. I suggest taking a good look at your bedroom to assess what elements may be contributing to your sleeping problems and then eliminate them. You’ll be creating a clean slate to start building an environment that supports your health. Ruth Gardner-Loew – Healthy Interiors Consultant
I like melatonin and my herbal blend of Valerian Root, Hops, Passion Flower and Lemon Balm by Natures Bounty. I believe that herbs give me a more natural healing rest without the drug “hangover” and binaural beats help too.
Some months ago I was very stressed out and used to wake up several times in the middle of the night without being able to get back to sleep. Needless to say, during the day I was exhausted, irritable and very discouraged: performing the smallest action seemed just too difficult for me. I did a short qikong session one day (nothing complicated, I found a free video on the web and just tried it for no longer than ten minutes) and that same night I was bewildered at the fantastic quality of my sleep: not only did I sleep uninterruptedly, but When I woke up I was refreshed and regenerated the way I had not been for a very long time. And the effect went on from then on. I’ definitely suggest anybody with sleeping problems to give qikong a try: it’s easy, pleasurable, inexpensive and just anybody can do it.
Holosync, a meditation program. My husband and I have used this meditation/brain wave entrainment for 4 years.
We sleep well, and have not been sick with a cold, flu or anything else since we started using this program. We take no medication, our blood pressure, etc. is perfect.
We do this before going to bed at night, and sleep well.
I recommend the program to anyone, its amazing.
Holosync.
I will put good thoughts in my brain like “I AM Divine Love, for the last thing I think about is what my brain focuses on! Thanks Wendy
Thank you Ruth,
I am 65 yrs old and a regular walker, I am in practice of this since 1971, if any occasion I miss this activity I feel a sort of restlessness and disturbance in my sleep cycle.This I have experienced this pn several occasions.
When I had trouble sleeping, I followed the instructions of my Ayurvedic Practioner. Later, I added my own twist.
Getting in to my bed at a regular hour no matter what a half an hour Before I went to sleep, having a cup of chamomile tea (honey and cinnamon to taste) or a cup of warm milk with nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, and honey in hand with a book. I read and drank my tea or milk for that half hour, and then it was lights out – No Matter What. It took a while to get used to, but it worked. Now, I normally just have chamomile tea straight,lie down, turn out the lights and do a Body Scan, and a short meditation. A good mattress is important as well.
There have been periods when perhaps something is going on in my life that make it harder for me to sleep – during those times I think it is even more important to go back to a routine that let’s my body know that it is time for sleep with the conscious knowledge that this is my time for rest and self care, when my body and mind have nothing to do but heal and regenerate.
No matter what I need as much sleep as I get,in order to function normal.
Makes sense. Margaret Thatcher famously only slept 4 hours a night so she could do as much damage as possible to our country, but she got dementure later. Karma is at work even if there’s now a scientific explanation for it.
I am lucky if I get five hours sleep at night. I would love to get eight hours but unlucky for years. Any tips to help me.
Download a guided meditation/relaxation on your MP player or smartphone, you probably can buy them on CD’s also… and listen to it when you in the bed and ready to fall asleep. Follow the instruction you here among relaxing peaceful music. Andrew Johnson guided meditations are very nice. Also try to breath very deeply for a couple of minutes, focusing on your breath: air goes in air goes out, try to not think about anything else at that moment.
I am 79.5 yrs & have no trouble sleeping, a common issue with my age group. I am very active in my work & have a full & what I call an altruistic lifestyle – surrounded by those younger than me in my work. So important! I make sure to have low lighting, no raucous, stimulating tv or phone conversations at least an hour before bed. Usually no liquids after 7 pm. I do not read in bed. My mattress and bed linens are clean, comforting & welcoming. I have a routine of preparing for sleep by mentally winding down from my day. Brushing my teeth, cleansing & creaming my face, by body begins to know it’s almost sleep time. I put my little dog in her separate bed (she prefers that) and get into my bed with a feeling of release, relax & gratitude. It’s then about 10 pm. It helps that I live in a very quiet neighborhood. I awaken naturally at dawn, grateful for another good night’s sleep & honored to receive the gift of another day. I always look up & say, “ok, surprise me :)” Best thoughts to you Mary, Bonnie B.
Incidentally, to assist in finding the article, it’s downloadable from Cornell U as a PDF, first author is Lulu Xie.
After years of chronic insomnia Sophrology finally reminded my brain how to sleep. Sophrology has been used as a alternative to pills in Europe for many years and is now being taught in English at The Sophrology Academy in Kent. It is a powerful mix of eastern wisdom and western relaxation techniques including mindful meditation, visualisation, breathing exercises, positive focus and gentle movements. This makes it very accessible to everyone and once learned the techniques can be used in everyday life very effectively to relieve stress, anxiety and depression as well as improving sleep patterns and general wellbeing.
We have a dog that is in Training to become a diabetic alert dog and being outside taking walks makes a huge difference. But I am very grateful to read about how important sleep is, because I easily think 5 hours are enough. And so does my husband – until now. Thank you!
It’s a great discovery, that our brains want to do maintenance while we sleep, that we benefit from this process enormously, but what happens when your brain won’t let you sleep? I’m lucky if I get 4-5 hrs per night despite my healthy lifestyle and great sleep hygiene. I have been waking up between 1 – 3 a.m. for years. Sometimes I get back to sleep around 5 a.m but mostly I do not.
You might be interested in this article from Spirituality and Health magazine. It may simply be interesting or it may provide you with a new insight into your sleep pattern — a new way to look at things.
Meg
There is a book that use to help me a lot, and if it is possible to get it for you I’m sure it will do it; the title is ‘Minding the Body, Mending the Mind’, and its author is Dra. Joan Borysenko. It is a quite old book (first printing in 1987) but it trys to show you the relation mind/body which most of the times is unkown for most of us.