A combination of sleep, exercise and a slurp of booze could help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Scientists have discovered a good night’s sleep, increasing the heart rate through exercise and about a fifth of a glass of wine per day can help stimulate the brain’s own cleaning system.
Previous studies have shown Alzheimer’s is associated with the toxic build-up of proteins in the brain killing nerve cells.
Dr. Ian Harrison, of University College London, said the research was now focusing on stopping the brain’s self-cleaning — the glymphatic system — from failing.
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Previous studies of mice had shown the mix of sleep, exercise and alcohol helped.
He told Cheltenham Science Festival: “This is good evidence that the glymphatic system is active during sleep.
“If that is anything to go by, we should all be sleeping a lot more than we are.” There were comparable results with exercise, while mice given small doses of alcohol showed a 30 percent to 40 percent brain self-cleaning boost. The equivalent measure for humans is 25ml.
Harrison added: “So, sleep more, exercise and, as the data suggests, you can have a drink, but only a third of a unit of wine per day.”
Originally published in the New York Post.
