Posted on 08/26/2021 11:14:46 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
Scientists have long wondered why almost all animals sleep, despite the disadvantages to survival of being unconscious. Now, researchers led by a team from the University of Tsukuba have found new evidence of brain refreshing that takes place during a specific phase of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is when you tend to dream a lot.
Previous studies have measured differences in blood flow in the brain between REM sleep, non-REM sleep, and wakefulness using various methods, with conflicting results. In their latest work, the Tsukuba-led team used a technique to directly visualize the movement of red blood cells in the brain capillaries (where nutrients and waste products are exchanged between brain cells and blood) of mice during awake and asleep states.
"We were surprised by the results," explains Professor Hayashi. "There was a massive flow of red blood cells through the brain capillaries during REM sleep, but no difference between non-REM sleep and the awake state, showing that REM sleep is a unique state"
Given that reduced blood flow in the brain and decreased REM sleep are correlated with the development of Alzheimer's disease, which involves the buildup of waste products in the brain, it may be interesting to address whether increased blood flow in the brain capillaries during REM sleep is important for waste removal from the brain.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
I use an eye mask, ear plugs, and melatonin. I reduce lighting in the evening hours and lower the temperature, as well. All of these things, along with a comfortable bed, helps me sleep well.
Lt. Col. Grossman suggested this a few years ago. Sleep deprivation is killing us.
+
You use ear plugs, but my wife and I prefer to have white noise. We use an app that plays a thunderstorm all night. It’s not loud and the thunder is fairly faint and distant.
Your digestive system nerves are very active at night
They are involved with lymph system and dealing with body wastes and cleaning
70% of your immune system is in your gut
it works hard at night
sleep deprivation has shown to degrade your gi tract and stress it out,and thats what they have discovered why sleep deprivation can kill you if its long enough
This is news? It has long been known that REM sleep is the most refreshing for the brain. However, the connection to alzheimers is interesting, if true.
Exercise will also help you sleep.
Walk 20 miles and you will sleep.
miles to go before I sleep
or something like that
I’m convinced Rapid Eye Movement is a type of mechanical pumping action that directly affects the brain. Either the eyeballs themselves, the thrashing Optic Nerve, or both.Perhaps creating small amplitude waves that help flush brain waste out into the lymph system.
Recall the eye sockets directly impinge on the brain pand, including some nearby very critical glands. And the Optic Nerves move back and forth quite a bit back there.
REM happens for a reason, and in animals, too. Occam’s Razor says the simplist answer is often correct. Itty bitty mechanical brain bilge pump. No REM? Waste backs up.
My family's beloved German Shepherd often used to run and lightly bark when he was asleep.
Would have loved to have seen what he was dreaming about..........Really miss that guy. :(
That is much of the problem why people don't sleep well, and why there are so many new mattress types/designs. As my sleep difficulties increase with age, I've tried many different standard mattress along with latex and currently a temporpedic brand. Still couldn't get my rest due to being a side sleeper with bony hips. Even when I did sleep through the night, I would wake up with sore hips.
I tried 2 different mattress toppers with one too firm and one too mushy. Finally tried the My Pillow mattress topper and it is perfect! I don't care for the pillows, but the topper is ideal for me. I also use Flent foam earplugs when leaving the window cracked. The room is pitch black.
Tip: For those who still have trouble sleeping, Nyquil or Benadryl (different formulas) will make you sleepy and depending on dosage allow you to sleep through the night. Downside is you may be drowsy for hours after waking.
I think of dreams as disk defragging.
That summation is only correct if the simplest answer is truly the correct one after all the alternatives have been examined.
And CPAP test found I was getting zero REM sleep...explaining why I would always wake up tired...much better now
I tried that only to find I then focus on the noise, like who decided on those particular sounds, volume, and frequencies (hz). I'm one of those folks who just can't shut down his conscience thinking. However, now that I've found the right mattress and topper as in above, it helps to relax my brain.
Also drinking milk at bed time. Having yogurt is even better - it knocks me out and I sleep thru the night without waking to check Free Republic headlines 2 or 3 times between 10 pm and 4 am!!
Years ago they did a “sleep study” where they kept people from entering REM sleep ... they found that the volunteers started to have hallucinations
Very interesting. My mom has dementia, and I have noticed her sleep is recently very disrupted, and she wakes up in the middle of the night, with nightmares.
I remember a case of a guy with terrible nightmares. He had sleep apnea, and when his breath stopped, his CO2 levels skyrocketed, and it triggered a panic response like drowning, or not being able to breathe. His brain responded to this by creating dreams to match the fear.
She might benefit from a CPAP.
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