Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1534540
16 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | MAY 2025 By Suzette Strauss, Resident No, I'm not talking about science fiction or cults. This is about truly washing your brain. Now some may need good brainwashing from the negative thoughts that bombard them, or harmful things they have believed throughout their lives. Zig Ziglar was known for such statements as, "You may need a checkup from the neck up to stop your stinkin' thinkin'." But did you know your body has a way to wash your brain as you sleep? Yes, it does. I am continually amazed at the intricacies of the intelligent design of the human body. The human brain is a very active organ; it expends about 20 percent of the body's total available energy. That explains why I get hungry doing desk work almost as much as doing physical activities. This high level of mental activity generates significant waste. Some waste consists of small by-products that are eliminated through the bloodstream. However, the brain also produces larger by-products that cannot be eliminated this way. These are neurotoxic proteins. Two such proteins are beta- amyloid and tau, both widely associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. In 2012, researchers discovered a specialized mechanism within the brain they named the glymphatic system. It was found that surrounding the arteries in the brain is a sheath-like structure, and cerebrospinal fluid flows through the space between the arteries and this sheath. It is pumped through brain tissue, flushing out waste from the deeper spaces between brain cells. So, if this is true, then why does the brain build up beta-amyloid and tau proteins causing Alzheimer's? I'm glad you asked. I have known many people who had family members with Alzheimer's and the one thing they all had in common was that they were awake most of the night and would just take naps during the day. This brings us to the next discovery about the glymphatic system. The glymphatic system is barely functioning during waking hours. You might say it works the nightshift. In fact, sleep is divided into two states: rapid eye movement (REM) and nonrapid eye movement (NREM). NREM accounts for 75 percent of total sleep time and is of itself further divided into three stages: N1, N2 and N3. Each N-stage is deeper than the previous one. In N3 noises are no longer an issue. This entire sleep cycle lasts approximately 90 minutes and is repeated four to five times during a normal night's sleep. N3 stage is when the major brainwashing occurs, and it is more productive for side sleepers. Common symptoms of an accumulation of waste in the brain are memory loss, difficulty concentrating and trouble managing tasks. Long-term effects can also affect mood, leading to anxiety, depression, or irritability. A study done in 2023 noted 42 percent (up from three percent in 1942) of Americans don't get enough sleep. One major reason is that Americans tend to go to bed later. Early to bed, early to rise, makes one healthy, wealthy and wise! Sweet "clean" dreams.