Support Your Glymphatic System

If you have read the last two posts on the glymphatic system, you know that it is the way your body removes toxins and waste (which can contribute to inflammation) from your brain. Much like the lymphatic system, the glymphatic system is a drainage pathway that can get blocked. Signs that your glymphatic system isn’t working optimally include:

• Anxiety

• Brain fog

• Depression

• Difficulty making decisions

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Insomnia + sleep disturbances

• Poor concentration

How can you support a sluggish glymphatic system?

Sleep. Without sleep your brain will struggle to function and your lymphatic system’s ability to take out the trash (detox) will be impaired. By improving sleep hygiene we can support our brain and our glymphatic system.

In a study on mice, Nedergaard and her colleagues discovered that “The restorative function of sleep may be a consequence of the enhanced removal of potentially neurotoxic waste products that accumulate in the awake [CNS].” 

During sleep, Nedergaard and her team found that the glymphatic system was most busy as the animals slept. They showed that the volume of interstitial space increased by 60% while the mice were sleeping. This is because our body and brain perform detox and tissue repair as we sleep. As well, sleep affects our cardiovascular system, our immune system, blood sugar regulation, digestion, fatty acid balance, hormones, and mood.

How can you get your best sleep? 

• Balance blood sugar. Are you someone that regularly wakes up between 1-3am? This is a sign that your blood sugar is dropping and in response, your body is sending out a wave of stress hormones which wake you up. Try to eat a good balance of macros (carbs, fat, protein) throughout the day to keep your blood sugar levels stable.

• Circadian rhythms. If you know me and my love of Ayurveda, you know that living with the natural rhythm of light and dark each day is important. Make sure you maintain a consistent bedtime and wake time. Try to get up with the sun and expose yourself to sunlight first thing in the morning preferably without sunglasses blocking the sun from your eyes and while getting some movement in outside (my favorite kind of multi-tasking!).

• Limit caffeine. Ideally, you’ll limit caffeine after 2pm. For me, that means no caffeine after lunch time or I’ll still be wide awake long after I should be in bed. Caffeine is a stimulant and can contribute to a spike in cortisol which in turn, throws off your blood sugar levels. Vicious cycle, right? Let me introduce you to reishi mushroom coffee (I promise, it’s better than it sounds). Reishi mushrooms balance blood sugar, calms the mind, protects against EMFs, reduces inflammation, and soothes the adrenals glands. Reishi also modulates the negative effects of caffeine and works as an adaptogen. All of this adds up to improved sleep! Learn more about King coffee, why I made the switch (and now sleep like a baby), get samples, or order King.

• Low light. As the sun sets, I try to limit bright lights. I’m not a huge fan of overhead lights to begin with but in the evening we tend to favor lower light from lamps. I also really love the warmth of a salt lamp and find it very soothing.

• Reduce screen time.  I try to be off my phone at least one hour before bed. It took a little practice to put my phone down and pick up a book instead but it has been a game changer.

• Wind down. Switch gears in the evening. Forgo the action movie in favor of an Epsom salt bath while listening to some healing frequency music, reading, journaling, and practicing gratitude.

Remember, this is not medical advice. This is meant for education purposes only.