A good night’s sleep, exercise and a swig of booze each day can help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease

A COMBINATION of sleep, exercise and a slurp of booze could help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists have discovered a good night’s kip, increasing the heart rate through exercise and about a fifth of a glass of wine per day can help stimulate the brain’s own cleaning system.

2

Previous studies have shown Alzheimer’s is associated with the toxic build-up of proteins in the brain killing nerve cells.

Dr Ian Harrison, of University College London, said research was now focusing on stopping the brain’s self-cleaning — the glymphatic system — from failing.

Previous studies of mice had shown the mix of sleep, exercise and alcohol helped.

He told Cheltenham Science Festival: “This is good evidence that the glymphatic system is active during sleep.

2

MOST READ IN HEALTH NEWS

BOY RUN-DER

Brave Jacob, 3, defies cerebral palsy to run laps to support kids charity

'THEIR CHOICE'

I’ve seen what terminally ill go through- they must die in dignity, MP says

ALLERGY HORROR

Girl, 18, ‘died on mum’s shoulder’ after reaction to chicken and chips

DOC'S ORDERS

GP practices warn patients ‘don’t ring until Monday’ after global IT outage

“If that is anything to go by, we should all be sleeping a lot more than we are.” There were comparable results with exercise, while mice given small doses of alcohol showed a 30 per cent to 40 per cent brain self-cleaning boost. The equivalent measure for humans is 25ml.

Dr Harrison added: “So, sleep more, exercise and, as the data suggests, you can have a drink, but only a third of a unit of wine per day.”