Did you know your brain shrinks when you sleep!?!
Our bodies are freaking incredible! They are designed with a natural default system to heal, and the processes in the body to accomplish this day in and day out are truly marvelous!
My mind was blown away when I was learning about sleep last year in class. What our body does while we sleep is beyond some understanding and I so appreciate the people giving their lives to study this simple act that takes up ⅓ of our lifetime.
Did you know that when you enter into a deep level of sleep there are cells in your brain that shrink up to 60%! Not only that, this allows your cerebrospinal fluid to enter the brain and wash it clean! What the freak! Your brain is enjoying a deep bath and setting you up for a beautiful clean slate the next day-literally! This brain bath washes away toxins, bad cells, and plaques that cause inflammation and disease.
If you are someone like me, who struggles with brain fog, memory, blood sugar regulation, and immune system issues, deep sleep will be your best friend! If you are scared of getting Alzheimer’s and want to be proactive, get your deep sleep!
Here are some quick tips to set yourself up for a great nights rest are:
- a dark cold room (preferably 64 degrees Fahrenheit)
- get to bed on time (peak deep sleep hours are between 10pm and 1am- plan to be asleep by 11pm at the latest)
- stop eating 3 hours before bed
- switch off screens an hour before bed or invest in some proper blue light blocking glasses
- first thing in the morning, get natural sunlight in your eyes for at least 10 minutes
Here’s a picture of my babies when they were little enjoying a brain wash, because, well, they're adorable!
If you want to learn more about the amazing things that happen while we sleep and why sleep is crucial for a healthy life, check out Matthew Walker’s book called “Why We Sleep”
(brain shrinking cleaning topics found on pages 160-161)
You can try and get the book for free from your library or on Amazon here.
