the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Brain cells orchestrate thoughts, feelings and body movements,
and form dynamic networks essential for memory formation and problem-solving.

To perform such energy-demanding tasks, brain cells require fuel.
Their consumption of nutrients from the diet creates metabolic waste in the process.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that brain cell activity during sleep is responsible for propelling fluid into, through and out of the brain, cleaning it of debris.
https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/neurons-help-flush-waste-out-of-brain-during-sleep/

The brain’s electrical activity is moving the fluid.
During non-REM sleep, large, slow waves of CEREBROSPINAL FLUID were washing over the brain.

Cerebrospinal Fluid:
A clear, water-like liquid that flows around the brain

During non-REM sleep, neurons start to synchronize, turning on and off at the same time.
“First you would see this electrical wave where all the neurons would go quiet.”
Because the neurons had all momentarily stopped firing, they didn’t need as much oxygen.
That meant less blood would flow to the brain.
Lewis’s team also observed that cerebrospinal fluid would then rush in, filling in the space left behind.


Watch in half Speed (.5) to clearly see the pipes opening.
Brain when Sleeping is on the Left. Awake is on the Right.

Scientists inject tracer molecules
To their surprise, the scientists found that the tracer molecules flowed along a series of channels surrounding blood vessels.
In the brain, blood vessels are surrounded by cells called astrocytes.

Astrocytes cells have projections called end feet that wrap around arteries and veins like a layer of piping.

It was through this pipeline that the molecules traveled.
The system uses pressure to push fluid through the brain.
It's a much faster and more efficient way to carry away waste than diffusion.

Astrocytes are a type of glial cell—a class of cells that support neurons in the nervous system.
The research team named this new system the “glymphatic system”
because it is similar to the body's lymphatic system and is managed by the brain’s glial cells.



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I heard Edison did micro naps where he held something over a plate and dozed and when he drifted enough to drop it the noise would wake him and he'd be refreshed

There was a section about this in Stolen Focus by Johann Hari

When I was first training I was taught what I was told were Taoist?!?! exercises to do just this
They were done while drifting of to sleep
I still do them on occasions
Not sure if they work or not but will do them with new vigor after this information

It’s called the Glymphatic System. I thoroughly believe that through meditation we can get it to turn on during the day. And using Daoist sleeping postures we can get it to function better at night.
Here’s a recent article.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7698404/
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origami_itto wrote:I heard Edison did micro naps where he held something over a plate and dozed and when he drifted enough to drop it the noise would wake him and he'd be refreshed

my classmate just held keys in his hand. works well.

D_Glenn wrote:It’s called the Glymphatic System. I thoroughly believe that through meditation we can get it to turn on during the day. And using Daoist sleeping postures we can get it to function better at night.
Here’s a recent article.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7698404/
.

Doesn't the research show that 10 minutes solid meditation can accomplish the work of 8 hours sleep?