the 20-something's guide to a brain detox:: spring cleaning part II (aka:: how to apply “spring cleaning” to your brain!)
happy may wellness sisters & misters, & welcome to part II of our “spring cleaning” reset, now focused on brain detoxification! we deep dive on how to keep our brains healthy & cover the brain’s primary detoxification system:: the glymphatic system. & finally, we cover action items to help you “spring clean” all things mentally! (also, if you missed part I, take a look at the last blog post all about spring cleaning & detoxing our body & movements! so fun!)
why our brain’s detoxification matters
i may start out a little backwards for this blog; i want to state how truly important our brain’s spring cleaning system is & why we should all be thinking about making our brains as healthy as they can be. besides the obvious (we want healthy brains…duh), many of the neurodegenerative diseases & symptoms related to these diseases (think:: alzheimer’s, parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, & traumatic brain injury…yes, even concussions) can be linked back to a build up of various plaques, proteins, & waste products in the brain & along our neural structures (think:: spinal cord). the brain’s ability to help clear out these waste products plays a huge role in our ability to heal & function optimally. furthermore, as we age, the brain’s ability to clear out waste decreases, so it is super important for us to take care of our brains & these processes from an early age to build up that longevity fund & brain health for life!
our brain’s detoxification system:: the glymphatic system
the glymphatic system is our brain’s detoxification/”spring cleaning” system. we can link it pretty closely with our body’s lymphatic system, & it actually eventually drains into our body’s lymphatic system & circulatory system so we don’t lose too much fluid during the process!
like lymph in our lymphatic system, our brain utilizes cerebrospinal fluid (or csf, for short) to transfer waste products, proteins, etc. throughout the brain. csf helps to cushion our brain & spinal cord, but it also helps to act as a canal system to transport molecules, proteins, & waste throughout our brain. csf is able to travel deep into the brain along the arteries, where it picks up waste from the interstitial fluid (or fluid outside the cells), deep in the brain. the csf then pushes the waste products along & empties into perivenous spaces which run with the brain’s venous circulation to then be removed through the lymphatic system or with the venous system back into the heart.
one of the biggest things to note about our glymphatic system is that it is most active when we sleep! we always hear about how important sleep is to our brain function, & this is one of the reasons why! if we want our brains to heal & manage waste appropriately, we need to get sufficient & effective sleep! our glymphatic system is most active during deep sleep, so it is important to give our bodies & brains enough time to go through each cycle of sleep.
what can we do to help?
obviously one of the best things we can do to help our glymphatic system is to get enough, quality sleep! this means during our brain “spring cleaning”, we might want to prioritize a morning & nighttime routine that allows us to fully wind down & get enough sleep before whatever activities we have planned for the next day. if you’re a student, this might mean refocusing on bedtimes & class times each semester so that you’re truly setting yourself up for brain healing success! if you’re a student, maybe make it a habit to lay out your new routine at the start of the semester to allow for enough sleep…that way you are adapting your sleep routine to your school schedule. if you’re a working adult, try to structure your sleep, work, wakefulness, workouts, & meals around your sleeping schedule. if you’re a new mom…gosh don’t take that advice from me…i need to be asking you guys! basically, i’m praying for you! take a look at the list below to take inventory of your own sleeping habits.
here is a little “spring cleaning:: brain style” list for you to check-in with!
what time am i going to bed & waking up? how many hours of sleep am i getting consistently? (side note, i have reallllyyyy loved the oura ring for this. the ability for it to track my sleep has been a game-changer. furthermore, it is able to help me check changes & trends over time. i highly recommend it!)
am i getting morning sunlight to help set my sleep/wake cycles & regulation?
when am i eating dinner or a snack? is my late-night meal causing my digestion to be awake & impair my sleep?
when do i workout & is that conducive to getting good sleep? if you’re a morning workout person, are you going to bed early enough to allow yourself enough time to sleep prior to your workout? if you’re an evening workout gal, are you allowing enough time for your body to wind down after a workout to fall asleep?
am i allowing my mind enough time to calm down before sleep? am i stopping work or studying so that my mind can unwind?
i have been a repeat offender of so many of the sleep challenges above, so for part I of our may challenge… let’s focus on allowing ourselves time to wind down, get plenty of sleep, & just clarify our sleep routines! let’s shoot for 5 days…or a full work week...focusing on prioritizing our sleep!
cheers to catching zzzz’s not feelings :)
kelsy
