The position in which you fall asleep could play a role in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia risks
Sleeping well is essential for health. When you fall into the arms of Morpheus, the brain takes the opportunity to evacuate accumulated waste, including amyloid plaques composed of beta-amyloid protein.
These aggregates that form around the neurons of people with Alzheimer’s disease prevent neurotransmitters from working properly. But is there a preferred position? According to experts quoted by The Sun, some of them would be beneficial for preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
“Sleeping on your side has been shown to be the most beneficial position for your brain, this position helping your brain to eliminate interstitial waste more quickly than other positions”, illustrates the specialist Narwan Amini.
This would have many benefits and “including a potential reduction in the risk of developing neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s”.
The position to avoid
A study published in the journal Journal of Neuroscience in 2015 also concluded that the lateral position, in addition to being the most popular in humans, helps the brain to get rid “more efficiently of the metabolic waste that has accumulated while we are awake”.
More generally, sleeping on your side is generally considered the best position for your health as it provides good spinal support, while minimizing acid reflux.
On the contrary, sleep expert Narwan Amini indicates that it is absolutely necessary to avoid sleeping on your stomach. “This can lead to muscle and joint tension, stiffness, back and neck pain.”