What Is the Glymphatic System?
The glymphatic system is the lymphatic system in the brain.
It was first named in 2012.
It cleans your brain, carries nutrients, and provides immune support for the brain.
How Does the Glymphatic System Work?
The glymphatic system is the combination of cerebral spinal fluid and interstitial fluid plus immune cells in the brain. It travels around the arteries and the veins and is regulated by the glial cells called astrocytes, and the aquaporins that live in their feet.
Glymphatic movement is influenced by the heartbeat, respiration, the tone of the vessels, macrophages, and the vagus nerve.
Why Is Sleep Important to the Glymphatic System?
The glymphatic system is 90% more active when we sleep.
It seems to be turned on by norepinephrin, which is stimulated by darkness.
It also works better when we are on our backs or sides.
Finally, the glial cells shrink when we sleep so moving fluid through the brain is easier when we sleep.
What Can Go Wrong With the Glymphatics?
Glymphatic function decreases as we age.
Poor glymphatic function is associated with neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
If the astrocytes are damaged, it is hard for the glymphatic system to wash the brain and remove debris and carry nutrition to brain cells.
What Can Injure The Astrocytes and the Glymphatics?
- Neurodegenerative Disease
- Stroke
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Poor Sleep
- Alcohol
- High or Low Blood Pressure
- Blood Sugar Dysregulation
- Toxins (including mycotoxins, biotoxins, heavy metals)
What You Can Do To Improve Glymphatic Function
- Experience Darkness – Lights out by 10pm
- Exercise Daily
- Eat anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, veges, clean fats, and clean proteins
- Check out chi gong for improving lymph flow
- Experience parasympathetic dominance – destress
How Dr. Caroline Can Help With Manual Hands-On Drainage of the Glymphatics
Dr. Caroline can help give the glymphatics a jump-start so your at-home care can be more effective.
She will start by opening the main drains of the lymphatic system – the subclavian veins – by the collar bones. Then she will work with the lymphatic vessels in the neck and the blood vessels in the head. She will check the bag that holds the brain and the movement of the bones in the head and the cerebral spinal fluid production and movement. Finally, she will work directly with the glymphatics to support their movement and the washing of the brain.
