Life And Gravity: Sleeping In A Horizontal Position May Be Bad For You
Andrew K Fletcher has experimentally demonstrated a possible mechanism by which trees, using gravity to overcome gravity, are able to lift their sap to considerable height. In the absence of sufficient pressure in the roots of trees to send the liquid drawn from surrounding ground to the tree's crown and with negative pressure at the top unable to provide the driving force due to a limit connected with air pressure, science has not so far been able to explain just how the trees perform this feat. The usual explanation of osmotic pressure and capillary action makes about as much sense as war and famine.
On his new site (http://andrewkfletcher.com/), which presents his theory, Fletcher says that plants actually use gravity for their growth, rather than just overcoming it. Gravity provides the driving force for a two-way elevator formed by separate liquid columns, where the downward flowing side carries a concentrated and therefore heavier form of the lighter ascending liquid. Evaporation does the trick, concentrating the mineral content of the sap by getting rid of the pure H2O while keeping the minerals. The heavy descending liquid and the ascending new sap form a loop where water molecules, in what is described as a rubber-band effect, are able to lift the ascending column by negative pressure at the top. How do trees avoid running into the limit of about 10 meters that prevents such a lifting effect in a non-continuous water column? Apparently they do it by sealing the system against air and by eliminating any gas that forms in the system, before the bubbles can effectively cut the continuous "rubber band" of liquid columns.
But gravity does not only help the growth of trees. Human bodies may be subject to a very similar mechanism, says Fletcher in his essay "The Importance of Gravity to our Health and Wellbeing, and its Relation to Rest & Sleep". A first set of observations about sleeping in a slightly inclined position (head up, feet down, five degrees) rather than in our traditional perfectly horizontal beds, seems to confirm that the human organism requires gravitational pull to function in an optimal manner. Positive health effects were observed for those sleeping in the inclined position.
Astronauts of course have demonstrated that humans can adapt to function even in a micro-gravity environment, but there are serious health issues in the absence or near absence of gravitation. This Russian site discusses the problems and some solutions.
Sleep in the horizontal position isn't deadly in our estimation, although I just found an article that seems to indicate there may be some problems. People do suddenly die in their sleep and scientists can't quite figure out the cause, but they speculate that brain cells specialized in generating the breathing command somehow die off.
Fletcher says circulation while sleeping is better if the bed is in a slightly inclined position.
If indeed gravity does have something to do with optimal function of "vertical" organisms, from blades of grass to trees and indeed to humans, then some general scientific and medical re-thinking might be in order.
Links:
INCLINED THERAPY - Nature's Natural Holistic Healer by Andrew K Fletcher
Online discussion (April 2005)
More details about a preliminary study Download file" target="_blank">in this PDF file.
There does seem to be a problem with people dying in their sleep, but scientists are not quite sure what it may be connected with...
Clue to why some die during sleep
Scientists believe they may have solved the mystery of why some people stop breathing fatally in their sleep. They say a cumulative loss of cells in the area of the brain that controls breathing is to blame - triggering a condition called central sleep apnoea. However, they believe many such deaths in elderly people are misdiagnosed as heart failure...
- - -
Suggestion for a research project:
Andrew Fletcher suggests that some of you might want to do an experiment.
If you suffer from circulation problems such as varicose veins, oedema, gangrene, thrombosis, phlebitis and leg ulcer, try Inclined Bed Therapy to see if you can bring about an improvement.
Here are the steps:
1) contact Andrew Fletcher to tell him you are ready to do the experiment.
2) document (photographically) the problem you are having, before commencing to sleep at an incline.
3) after an agreed time span, document any progress and send the pics to Andrew Fletcher. If you would like to share with other readers of this site, send the before and after pictures and a description of what you did and what improvements you may have had to me by email. I will be happy to post them as a comment to this article.
posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Sunday August 7 2005
updated on Friday June 26 2009
URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2005/08/07/life_and_gravity_sleeping_in_a_horizontal_position_may_be_bad_for_you.htm
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Readers' Comments
I do not see "watercure.com" in your list of interesting sites.
Posted by: Peter Vandeman on August 9, 2005 10:15 PM
Study aiming for significant Reversal of Spinal Cord Injuries using Gravity (Inclined Bed Study)
Posted by: Andrew K Fletcher on November 6, 2005 01:24 PM
Hi Sepp
Some interesting developments are beginning as predicted from the pilot study results.
It appears that others with spinal cord injuries are beginning to follow the same pattern of improvements as the others have done.
Carecure.org Forum
Posted by: Andrew K Fletcher on December 12, 2005 12:02 PM
UK researcher looking for people with spinal cord injury to try simple, novel method of healing
A message from Andrew Fletcher who has devised an ingenious method of helping people overcome serious health problems. Some with spinal cord injury have apparently benefited from it. The method is described in a CARECURE Community Forum discussion and in this article: Life And Gravity: Sleeping In A Horizontal Position May Be Bad For You
See also: http://carecure.org/forum/showthread.php?t=58698
To download the compressed file, which will expand into a quicktime video of 34 mega, click on the button named "free", (then wait for 30 seconds) and follow instructions.
Posted by: Sepp on February 16, 2006 07:04 PM
hello -
i am wondering about this concept of sleeping with the head up-and the reason i don't really understand it is that I've heard of good therapy with slant boards but the head is down-just the opposite way-didn't Bruce lee get better from spinal cord injury on a round table that went upside down? The blood sends new blood to the head and helps with circulation and many other things-so this way of having the head up is strange sounding but I am open to learning more -thanks
Posted by: Boyd on June 29, 2006 08:31 PM
Hi Sep
Had a fantastic idea when I met a lady with acute psoriasis who actually listened to me and acted upon the advise to tilt her bed. The results so far are amazing. Fortunately got before photographs now awaiting new photographs and her post in the forum.
Psoriasis is the Achilles heal for the medical profession because they cannot ignore the photographic evidence. This is it Sep. All things being equal we will gain a very powerful stick to beat some sense into those who should be searching for answers instead of a new car and another million dollar home.
P.S. can't beilve i've been so blinkered concentrating on neurological conditions which the public can't even see. I feel such a dumb ass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3D7tBQfCxQ
Posted by: Andrew K Fletcher on July 25, 2007 05:15 PM
Yes Andrew,
psoriasis is one of the conditions that medical science has no good solution for.
It can be handled with nutrition and aloe vera, but it is great to hear that the inclined bed will do something for psoriasis sufferers as well.
I am curious to see the before and after photos.
Posted by: Sepp on July 25, 2007 06:30 PM
Hi Sepp
It has been a while since we last spoke. I have been busy setting up a study and a mirror study on a US Site and can now provide those before and after photographs as a slide show in the URL provided.
The last page on the thread in the URL shows Helen's last photographs, again on a slide show for comparisons.
Also within the thread is a photograph of Penny, a former nurse who has made remarkeable progress with her psoriasis (psoriatic arthritis) since tilting her bed many years ago. Also a cutting from the Womans Realm Magazine is provided to verify her conditions and that she tilted her bed all those years ago.
Happy New Year Sepp and family
Andrew
Posted by: Andrew K Fletcher on January 7, 2008 08:49 AM
This is the page with the photograps of before and after but there is another set of photographs showing further progress in the thread also.
http://www.psoriasis-help.org.uk/forum/index.php/topic,18376.50.html
Please feel free to use the slide shows on your page Sepp
Posted by: Andrew K Fletcher on January 7, 2008 09:06 AM
Andrew K. Fletcher
Paignton, Devon U.K.
+44 1803524117
Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT) Varicose Veins Study.
Inclined To Sleep Inclined Yet?
Dear Reader
We are seeking some help to find more volunteers for a very exciting study and feel that this is something that your readers and colleagues will definitely find fascinating and some who have varicose veins and oedema and wish to avoid surgery will definitely want to join this Free study which produces results in only 4 weeks!
News Release:
An Important Scientific Study into the cause of Varicose Veins and Oedema and Inclined Bed Therapy (I.B.T.) is now underway, which makes use of the way the body uses gravity to move solutes through the vessels to improve circulation and alter the pressure inside the veins to significantly reduce swelling and oedema. Our study is free for anyone to participate in. There are no products to be sold or marketed.
Get the latest slant on sleeping.
What is Inclined Bed Therapy?
Gravity was identified as the driving force behind circulation in trees in 1994 and was applied immediately to how circulation in the body benefits from the same interaction with salts and sugars in the circulation. A video showing the use of IBT with spinal cord injury can be viewed here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3D7tBQfCxQ
IBT is simply tilting the bed so that the head end is 15 cm's or 6 inches higher than the foot end providing a level but tilted bed, hence the name Inclined Bed Therapy.0 People with varicose veins, oedema (fluid retention) are needed to participate in an online Diary Study, in order to prove that simply altering our sleeping position can have a positive affect on these problems.
If you or someone you know has Varicose Veins, the standard advise is to raise your legs and tilt your bed the other way to IBT, Or to undergo risky and expensive surgery that is prone to fail because it does not address why the pressure inside the vein causes it to bulge.
Which according to current physiology books makes sense. But what if that logic is incorrect? All the evidence from our study is showing that gravity is not a force we are struggling to overcome but a force that drives the fluids within the body.
Are you prepared to take the 4 week challenge and provide us with your observations? Or do you know someone who has varicose veins and would like to watch them slowly but surely shrink and improve every night they go to bed instead of becoming more unsightly and uncomfortable?
Our study is located on the Naked Scientists forum, who have a regular slot on BBC Radio. http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=9843.msg121037#msg121037
My wife's calf showing clearly her varicose vein shadow, which went flat after 4 weeks of Inclined Bed Therapy back in 1994 and has not returned to its former state since. http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=9843.msg121037#msg121037
Alun has already confirmed my statement on the study thread that Varicose veins will shrink after 4 weeks of IBT and has supplied us with photographic before and after 4 weeks of IBT along with a diary account of his observations. And he is not alone. http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=9843.75
We are hoping to find at least 50 more pioneering volunteers who wish to avoid surgery and it's inherent risks and failures, who are willing to provide us with photographic and a written account of their own experiences sleeping inclined.
So far our study is running towards a predicted outcome that flies in the face of current physiology literature.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely Andrew K Fletcher
Posted by: Andrew K Fletcher on August 2, 2008 12:49 PM
I just wanted to point out that I started semi ibt (pillows around my torso raised about 45 degree angle) about mid Jan 2010 - so it's been about 6 wks. I have ms. I am shocked at the immediate change and continue to feel healthier and happier. my kids think it is a miracle. me too! Thank you for your work.
Posted by: Anne on March 12, 2010 11:54 PM
Hi Anne
It would be very useful if you can expand on the changes you have reported here and on the New IBT forum. at inclinedbedtherapy.com.
Thank you for the comment about the effect of IBT on ms.
Andrew
Posted by: Andrew on April 3, 2010 07:40 AM
good work.
Posted by: luis on February 23, 2011 03:55 PM
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your article.
I'm just wondering if someone tried to change back tilted bed position to horisontal? What are the health effects I may experience threin?
Regards,
Roman
Posted by: Roman on July 31, 2014 05:24 AM
Hi Roman,
you won't find Andrew here. My article is a few years old...
you can try on Facebook, where he has a group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/InclinedBedTherapy/
Posted by: Sepp on August 1, 2014 07:37 PM
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