Sport, good sleep and a small glass of wine - that protects us from Alzheimer's

How do I effectively protect myself from dementia and Alzheimer's??

Unfortunately, more and more people are getting Alzheimer's disease today. Researchers have now found that a combination of sleep, exercise and a small amount of alcohol can prevent dangerous accumulations of sticky plaques that drive the development of dementia.

Researchers at University College London (UCL) have found that sleep, exercise and the consumption of small amounts of alcohol can protect against the onset of dementia.

A little wine, adequate sleep and physical activity protect against the development of dementia. (Image: Syda Productions / fotolia.com)

How can the accumulation of plaques be prevented??

The brain has some kind of internal drainage that needs to be kept clean to prevent the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, the experts explain. A combination of sleep, exercise and a small amount of alcohol stimulate this drain, preventing the dangerous accumulation of sticky plaques.

Sleep is crucial for the glyphatic system

Regular exercise and a good night's sleep help slow or even prevent mental deterioration. This had been known to scientists for some time, but it was not clear why this effect occurred. Animal studies have found that exercise and adequate sleep increase the brain's self-purifying glyphatic system. This system removes the so-called amyloid protein, which can accumulate and then prevent the brain cells from communicating with each other. The system is 60 percent more active at night, indicating that sleep is critical to its proper functioning, the study authors explain. This is good evidence that the glyphatic system is active during sleep.

Sleep and exercise protect against dementia

The statement makes sense. When the brain is active during the day, so-called waste products are produced, so it is only possible to break them down at night when the brain is not active. The glyph system is then activated and all waste products are disposed of, explain the physicians. Studies in mice have shown similar results in sport. If the animals had voluntary access to exercise, there was a massive increase in lymph function, the scientists are quoted by the English-language journal The Telegraph.

Low levels of alcohol cleanse the brain

The mice were also treated with low, medium and high doses of alcohol for 30 days. The influence on the glyphatic system was investigated. By taking low doses of alcohol, there was an increase in self-cleansing of the brain by 30 percent to 40 percent, the researchers explain. However, a reduction of the protective effect was found when medium or large amounts of alcohol were taken. In other words, the daily consumption of 25 milliliters of wine can support the glyphatic system. But already the consumption of a slightly higher amount of wine leads to a deterioration of the glyphatic system. People should generally pay more attention to their sleep and do more sports. You can even drink alcohol, but only a small amount, the doctors advise. (As)