When researching material for my extensive article on how to improve sleep, I came across a term called 'Inclined Bed Therapy' or IBT.

Despite being obsessed with ways to improve sleep for nearly a decade, this term was new to me.

I added it to my 'need to research' list and continued working on my article - research various sleep experts across the world. Funny enough, I was introduced to two sleep experts who both swore by Inclined Bed Therapy for improving ones sleep.

One expert was Andrew K Fletcher - Originator of Inclined Bed Therapy at InclinedBedTherapy.com. And the other was Tom Moorcroft - Osteopathic Physician at OriginsOfHealth.com.

In my interviews with these experts, they both listed IBT as a top recommendation for anyone looking to improve sleep and health (to see their full recommendations for improving sleep, please see my article How To Improve Sleep: 25+ Experts Share Their Helpful Tips).

Still extremely intrigued by the subject, but lacking in time (there are so many topics to research when it comes to health and sleep!) I shelved the idea once more.

A few months later I was in LA talking to Claus Pummer - Holistic Sleep Expert of SAMINA. I met Claus as I was interested in buying one of his beds for my home (I found his beds after looking for the best and healthiest mattress on the market, Samina beds were the solution. You can read my review HERE).

A Samina Inclined Bed System

Claus showed me one of his Inclined Beds that he personally used and swore by. Deciding enough was enough, I had to investigate this topic in more detail. If the managing direct of the worlds best mattress and bed system slept on an inclined bed, along with the 2 sleep experts I had interviewed earlier, I knew there was something too it (side note, I ended up buying a Samina mattress, stay turned for my detailed review!)

Sleeping On An Incline - Really?

As I started by research into IBT, I went back to the two experts I had interviewed about sleep.

Andrew Fletcher has an amazing side at InclinedBedTherapy.com - this is chock full of guides, published papers, and tips to help you get started into the world of IBT. He also runs a popular facebook group on the same subject.

Inclined Sleeping - a slight raise at the head of your bed. Source: Samina Sleep

Meanwhile an email exchange with Tom Moorcroft (who also sleeps on an Inclined Samina Bed) uncovered some amazing research on brain detoxification, gut health, sleep and IBT.

Tom had this to say in one of our exchanges:

I think a key point to understand is that ~90% of brain detoxification occurs while you're sleeping and deep, slow wave sleep seems to be the most important phase of sleep. Anything that disrupts your normal sleep cycle has the ability to decrease your short and long-term brain health (read: brain fog and Alzheimer's disease). Lack of sound sleep leads to changed in the gut microbiome which may increase body-wide inflammation. This can lead to symptoms the further disrupt sleep. The gut directly influences neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and GABA, and brain plasticity factors. So, alterations of the microbiome can lead to changes in mood, cognition and sleep. Sleep can often be improved by simply removing processed foods from the diet and allowing the gut to return to a more natural state. The feedback loops between the gut and the brain that regulate sleep are numerous, but these simple, effective places to start. In my practice, I find patients commonly try all the fancy things and miss the simple foundational aspects of health.

He then went on to tell me he had published a white paper looking at ideal sleeping positions, brain detoxification and inclined bed therapy.

With his permission, I have shared this paper and it's amazing findings below.

I am certain you will enjoy the paper and it's fascinating findings. I'll see you at the bottom of this article with my closing remarks.

A New Angle on Brain Detoxification by Tom Moorcroft, DO

Scientists and physicians long debated why we sleep. Today we know sleep is required for consolidation of long-term memories and improves learning. It is a key component of hormone synthesis.

Sleep allows for the growth and repair of muscles and tissues. And now we know sleep is critical for brain detoxification. In fact, the vast majority of all brain detoxification occurs while we’re sleeping.

During the day, toxins, such as β-amyloid and tau-proteins, are slowly building up in our brains. When we sleep a relatively newly discovered brain cleansing system, called the glymphatics, goes to work.

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that surrounds, nourishes and protects the brain interacts with the interstitial fluid to create a cleansing wave that moves through the brain removing the toxins that have built up during the day. The glymphatics are the waste removal system of the brain.

As these toxins build, so do the levels of inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). As levels of IL-1β and TNF-α increase, the body prepares for sleep. At usual end of day levels, these inflammatory mediators help promote non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.

This is critical as stage 3 NREM is slow wave sleep, the stage of sleep when the glymphatic system is most effective. In states of acute illness, when IL-1β and TNF-α are further elevated, the body experiences greatly increased levels of NREM sleep. This highlights the body’s amazing self-healing, self-regulating mechanisms. When acutely ill, the body promotes deeper, more restorative sleep and greater brain detoxification.

Deposition of β-amyloid in the brain leads to cognitive decline and eventually Alzheimer’s disease. The accumulation of β-amyloid in the prefrontal cortex is associated with disruption of slow wave sleep and may reduce the ability for memory consolidation (Mander 2015). Researchers have found shorter sleep duration and lower sleep quality are associated with greater β-amyloid burden (Spira 2013).

Further studies are needed to determine if poor sleep merely accelerates the development of or is actually a cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Most disturbing is poor sleep can lead to increased β-amyloid deposition and greater burden of β-amyloid can lead to worsening sleep. This becomes a self-perpetuating cycle of ongoing cognitive decline and declining sleep quality.

Additionally, poor sleep leads to over-activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal or HPA axis. This is the master hormone system of our bodies. This system has many functions, including regulating stress hormones, metabolism, sleep, learning and social interactions.

Chronically increased levels of stress hormones increases body-wide inflammation and often leads to poor sleep quality and insomnia; decreasing the brain’s ability to detoxify.