According to a new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience , we should all sleep on our sides. Scientists believe that lying on your side helps to get rid of "brain waste" better, which could prevent Alzheimer's disease and neurodegenerative diseases (diseases that affect the functioning of the brain and nervous system).
Luckily, most of us are side sleepers. This is actually the most common sleeping position, for humans and, oddly enough, for animals in the wild as well.
Scientists made this discovery through a study of how sleeping positions affect the brain's cleansing system. By testing their various theories on rodents, the researchers found that by sleeping on their sides, they got rid of their brain waste much more efficiently.
But what is this waste we are talking about?
In fact, brain waste is a collection of toxins that can disrupt processes occurring in the brain if allowed to build up. Because during our sleep, a fluid runs through the brain to naturally cleanse it of this “waste”. This is why choosing a sleeping position that gives a boost to this process could prove extremely beneficial.
This theory has not yet been proven but it could represent a huge step forward for the prevention of dementia and related diseases.
And you, which side do you sleep on?
