Our self-cleansing brain

Our brains use glucose, oxygen, ketones and lactate for fuel. Any unwanted byproducts like lactic acid, potassium, amyloid-β and tau proteins can build up and cause problems if not flushed out. The glymphatic system uses Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) and Interstitial Fluid (ISF) to clear out any waste draining it into deep cervical lymph nodes. This genius system also circulates some good stuff around like fats, neurotransmitters, glucose and amino acids.

All of this is happening while we’re snoozing. In fact, the washing of our brain mostly occurs in slow-wave sleep or N3 sleep stage. This deep sleep phase is marked by delta brain waves, a slow heart rate and relaxed muscles. I wonder, are similar processes underway during Craniosacral Therapy (CST) sessions? Recipients of CST share feedback noticing a slowing of their heart and breath rate, shifts in thought patterns, deeply relaxed muscles and sometimes encountering interesting time warping phenomena like a twilight state or deep sleep. Emerging from craniosacral sessions people have described shifts in awareness like feeling more rested, replenished, refreshed, renewed, rebooted, rejuvenated, nourished and one of the most common beneficial byproducts of craniosacral therapy experienced by many is improvements in quality and length of sleep overnight.

Hypothisis: Craniosacral Therapy enhances brain health through deep relaxation states helping with stress reduction and improved sleep thereby optimising the glymphatic system.

Reference: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7698404/