Did you know that by the time you reach your 70s, your brain could have lost nearly 20% of its size? That’s like losing a fifth of the engine that powers your thoughts, memories, and ability to live independently. Even more alarming, this shrinkage significantly increases your risk of Alzheimer’s, which affects 1 in 3 seniors.
What’s contributing to this? While many factors play a role in Alzheimer’s, including genetics, inflammation, and lifestyle, two of the most significant contributors are a lack of quality sleep and regular exercise.
But here’s the good news: by prioritizing deep sleep and intentional exercise, you can protect your brain, slow down aging, and even reverse some of the damage.
These two simple habits don’t just add years to your life—they add life to your years, helping you stay sharp, energetic, and independent.
What Are Glial Cells, and Why Are They Important?
To understand how sleep and exercise protect your brain, let’s meet your brain’s “hidden helpers”: glial cells.
What Are Glial Cells?
Glial cells are like the brain’s cleaning crew. While neurons send messages and control your thinking, glial cells work in the background to:
- Clean out waste and toxins that build up during the day.
- Deliver nutrients and energy to neurons to keep them functioning.
- Repair damage and ensure your brain stays healthy.
But glial cells can only do their best work during deep sleep, which is when they shrink and allow your brain’s natural cleaning system to kick into gear.
Why Your Brain Needs Sleep to Stay Young
Sleep isn’t just about resting—it’s when your brain repairs itself and clears out harmful toxins. During slow-wave sleep (SWS), the deepest stage of sleep, something extraordinary happens:
- Glial cells shrink by up to 60%, creating space for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flow through the brain.
- After about 90 minutes of sleep, the CSF spurts cleaning fluid into the brain, flushing out waste products like beta-amyloid, a toxic protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Here’s why this is so important: if glial cells don’t shrink by 60%, the CSF can’t reach all the brain’s nooks and crannies. This means harmful toxins, like beta-amyloid, remain in the brain, where they accumulate and form toxic amyloid plaque.
Over time, these plaques damage your brain, slowing your thinking and increasing the risk of dementia.
The best part? All you need to do is prioritize sleep to allow this cleaning process to happen naturally. Without enough deep sleep, your brain’s detox system doesn’t work properly, leaving behind toxins that can accelerate cognitive decline.
READ ALSO: The Surprising Link Between Sleep and Brain Health for Women Over 50
The Power of Exercise: Fueling Your Brain with Lactate
While sleep cleans your brain, exercise powers it up. High-intensity activities like brisk walking, lifting weights, or short sprints produce lactate, a substance once misunderstood as waste but now recognized as a superfuel for the brain.
How Lactate Helps Your Brain:
- Boosts Brain Energy: Glial cells convert lactate into energy for neurons, helping your brain work more efficiently.
- Supports Neuroplasticity: Lactate promotes the brain’s ability to form new connections, which is essential for memory and learning.
- Strengthens Brain Maintenance: Regular lactate production helps glial cells stay efficient, improving their ability to clean your brain during sleep.
Incorporating high-intensity exercises into your routine is one of the simplest ways to boost brain health and combat aging.
The Sleep-Exercise Connection: A Double Defense Against Aging
When you combine deep sleep and regular exercise, you unlock a powerful system that protects your brain from aging:
- Detox and Repair: Sleep removes harmful toxins, while exercise produces lactate to fuel your brain’s repair processes.
- Brain Growth: Both sleep and exercise promote the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports neuron growth and protection.
- Sharper Thinking: Together, these habits enhance memory, focus, and problem-solving skills.
What Happens When You Don’t Prioritize Sleep and Exercise?
Skipping sleep and avoiding exercise can lead to serious long-term effects:
Without Enough Sleep:
- Harmful toxins like beta-amyloid and tau proteins build up, increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s. (Oxford Academic)
- Cognitive functions like memory, decision-making, and focus begin to decline.
- Your immune system weakens, leaving you four times more likely to catch a cold. (Sleep Number)
Without Regular Exercise:
- Your brain misses out on lactate’s energy boost, leaving glial cells less effective at cleaning toxins.
- Neuroplasticity declines, making it harder to learn and adapt.
- The risk of brain shrinkage and cognitive decline increases dramatically.
READ ALSO: 10 Fun and Engaging Activities to Keep Your Brain Sharp In Your 50
How to Start Turning Back the Clock
The best part? It’s never too late to start. Small changes today can make a huge difference tomorrow:
For Better Sleep:
- Stick to a Sleep Schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
- No white light and florescent lights: off at night and replace with warm light lamps
- Limit Screen Time: Avoid screens at least an hour before bed to improve melatonin production.
- Wear blue light blocking glasses: when watching TV or using a device
- Create a Sleep Sanctuary: Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet for the best chance of deep sleep.
For Better Exercise:
- Lift Weights: Start with light weights and aim for 12 repetitions. Gradually increase the weight as you get stronger.
- Lift as heavy as possible for 5 reps: When you are proficient in form
- Add Intensity: Try short bursts of effort, like Very brisk walking or stair climbing, sprinting, HIIT Workouts, to produce lactate.
- Be Consistent: Aim for minimum 30 minutes of intentional movement most days of the week.
The Fabulous50s Takeaway
The effort you put in today is like an insurance policy for your older self. Every step you take—prioritizing sleep, moving your body, and caring for your health—protects your ability to stay mentally alert, physically capable, and present for the people who rely on you.
You owe it to yourself, your family, and your community to take charge of your health now, ensuring you can enjoy life to its fullest and contribute your wisdom, strength, and love for years to come.
Start tonight: Get the deep, restorative sleep your brain needs. Tomorrow, take a brisk walk, challenge your muscles, or simply move with intention. These small, consistent actions will add up to a lifetime of vitality and resilience.
Your future self—and everyone who loves and depends on you—will thank you for the choices you make today.
With love,
Schellea
