The Glymphatic System: Your Brain’s Cleaning Crew
Most people have never heard of the glymphatic system, yet it plays a vital role in keeping your brain healthy and clear.
It’s essentially your brain’s detox and waste-clearance network, removing toxins and metabolic byproducts through the movement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid, like a built-in rinse cycle while you sleep.
When the Glymphatic System Slows Down
When this system isn’t working efficiently, waste can build up, leading to symptoms such as:
Brain fog or sluggish thinking
Headaches or pressure
Trouble focusing
Waking unrefreshed
Light sensitivity or dizziness
What Can Impair Glymphatic Function
Several factors can reduce how effectively your brain clears waste:
Poor or fragmented sleep (especially lack of deep, slow-wave sleep)
Chronic stress and high norepinephrine levels
Sleeping on your back rather than your side
Vascular dysfunction (poor blood flow or stiff arteries)
Inflammation and oxidative stress
Dehydration
Possible structural issues in the neck that may impact fluid flow (research is ongoing)
How to Support It Naturally:
Prioritize 7–9 hours of quality sleep - deep sleep is when clearance is strongest
Sleep on your side - studies show this improves flow
Stay hydrated - CSF is derived from plasma, and dehydration limits production
Support circulation with gentle movement and omega-3s
Lower neuroinflammation using antioxidants
Manage stress and cortisol, since high adrenaline suppresses glymphatic activity
Reduce toxin exposure (mold, alcohol, heavy metals, environmental chemicals) to lessen your body’s overall detox load
Gentle massage or craniosacral therapy can aid head and neck fluid movement when done by a trained practitioner
Why It Matters - and Possible Links to POTS
Impaired glymphatic flow is being studied in relation to neurodegenerative diseases, brain injury, and post-infectious syndromes.
Because this system depends on healthy circulation and pressure regulation, some researchers believe that dysfunction could also contribute to POTS and other forms of dysautonomia.
For those with POTS, mold toxicity, or chronic inflammation, supporting the glymphatic system can complement other detox, vascular, and brain-support strategies.
Final Thoughts
Your brain has its own self-cleaning system, but it needs your help to function well.
Simple changes in sleep quality, hydration, stress management, and circulation can go a long way toward improving clarity, focus, and recovery.
This information is for educational purposes only and not medical advice.
RESOURCES:
Blitshteyn, S. et al. (2025). Neuroinflammation at the Dorsolateral Inferior Medulla: A Possible Central Nervous System Localization for POTS and Long COVID. Biomedicines, 13(1), 166. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/166
Nedergaard, M. et al. (2013). Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain. Science. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1241224
Jessen, N.A. et al. (2015). The Glymphatic System: A Beginner’s Guide. Neurochemical Research. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11064-015-1581-6
Hablitz, L.M. & Nedergaard, M. (2021). The Glymphatic System and Waste Clearance with Ageing. Nature Reviews Neurology. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41582-021-00437-8
Bacyinski, A. et al. (2017). The Paravascular Pathway for Brain Waste Clearance: Current Understanding, Significance and Controversy. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnana.2017.00101/full
The Sleeping Brain: Harnessing the Power of the Glymphatic System Through Lifestyle Choices. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7698404/
