When Christian musician Riley Clemmons sings, "You can't have my headspace/Won't let you in my safe place," she's talking about defending herself from a toxic relationship.

But she could just as well have been singing about the newly identified headspace in your brain that helps clear out toxic metabolic waste such as tau proteins and amyloid, which are associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers from Oregon Health & Science University are the first to provide visual evidence of a network of fluid-filled pathways alongside arteries and veins in the brain (called the glymphatic system) that flushes out potentially harmful proteins and metabolic wastes generated by the brain's energy-intensive neural processes.

It also transports nonwaste products such as glucose, lipids, amino acids, and certain neurotransmitters.

The researchers recommend that everyone who wants to keep their brains clear of these dementia risks adopt improved sleep habits, which they think are essential for a well-functioning glymphatic system.

Maintaining a regular sleep schedule (even on weekends), avoiding screens in the bedroom before you're headed to sleep, and adopting a relaxing pre-bed routine (maybe reading, taking a hot bath or shower, or meditating) are habits that will help clear toxins out of your headspace.

For more help improving your sleep habits, check out our book "You: Breathing Easy: Meditation and Breathing Techniques to Relax, Refresh and Revitalize."