Dementia Related Post

How are you Sleeping?

I’ve been looking at sleeping and sleep deprivation’s possible impact on developing Dementia. It does seem more evident that this cleaning system, unique to the brain and separate from the lymphatic system that protects us throughout the rest of our bodies, is a significant player when looking for the causes of Dementia. The system called, The Glymphatic System, I have simply explained in my previous post.

However, I’m looking at anything, and everything that impacts sleep and I came upon an article by the WebMD site. This site makes this statement about itself: ‘The WebMD Medical Team works closely with a team of over 100 nationwide doctors and health experts across a broad range of speciality areas to ensure WebMD’s content is up to date, accurate, and helps you live a healthier life.’

The article called, ‘What’s the Best Position to Sleep In?’ This is self-explanatory, but some of the suggestions intrigued me.

So what position do you sleep in? Here is the choice:

Log; on your side with your arms by your side.
15% of people sleep like this, and it’s good for you. It’s good for back pain and avoiding sleep apnea.

Freefall; on your front and arms above your head
You have to imagine a skydiver. Can cause more next and back pain. Constant turning trying to find a comfortable position.

Soldier; flat on your back with arms by your side
There doesn’t seem to be anything good about sleeping in this position. Only one suggestion that it may aid in reducing Acid Reflux.

Starfish; like Soldier but with your arms and legs all over the place
This is the same as for Soldier, but more likely to cause aggressive behaviour from a partner!

Fetal; curled up as if a baby in the womb, on your side.
This is apparently the most common, especially among women. 4 in 10 sleep this way. For the most part, it’s a healthy way to doze, because it allows your spine to rest in its natural alignment.

Read this carefully and see if you spot the comments that caught my attention?

The fetal position might also help ward off conditions like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s: Recent research on animals suggests that your brain does a better job of clearing waste that can lead to these neurological diseases when you’re sleeping on your side rather than on your back or stomach.

So, the position we sleep, according to the WebMD, may ward off Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s! Now that is some claim.

What do I think? Well first, I wanted to know who had carried out this research, but all I could find was details of the person that reviewed the information: Dr Jennifer Robinson. 1st February 2019.

I found myself asking questions about the content. This is usually what happens when I start looking at research or articles; too many ifs and maybes used as valid information.

Some of the questions I thought of, I’m sure you may have asked questions too, or are you like most, hear the news and assume it as fact?

My questions:

Do people stay in one position all night? Do you?

When, and if, you change positions, are you briefly awake?

Do the WebMD team believe that this, Clearing Waste, system in the brain is actual and impacts Dementias like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s?

What animals did they research sleeping positions and this clearing system?

Were any humans used?

Now, you may think that some of these are silly questions, but I wanted to highlight that when some so-called professional body, says something that you may receive as fact, not all is possibly what it seems.

I noticed that the suggestion is to sleep on your side in most cases and stick a pillow between your knees, as this is the overall best position. It seems a lot of words to say just that!

Just noticed an ad on TV. A pillow you can buy to put between your knees at night, while you sleep! Is this just a case of, when I think of a yellow car, I see them everywhere?


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