The Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Alzheimer’s Disease
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, roughly 6 million Americans over the age of 65 live with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. As this population demographic is expected to increase significantly over the next several decades, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s will also grow.
Linking Alzheimer’s Disease and Sleep
While the numbers of those affected by this disease continue to climb, not many people know that Alzheimer’s and dementia can significantly impact sleep. Research suggests that Alzheimer’s disease generates cellular changes in the brain, inadvertently disrupting the sleep-wake cycle. As the disease progresses, sleep problems become increasingly prevalent.
Studies reveal that sleep disturbances significantly impact your memory processing and cognitive performance. Although symptoms of Alzheimer’s can range from one person to another, this disease generally results in a progressive decline in memory and cognition.
Sleep as Preventative Medicine
Inadequate sleep duration may also be a contributing factor in developing dementia later in life. According to the National Institutes of Health, lack of sleep in middle age may increase dementia risk. Recent studies conducted by NIH’s National Institute on Aging (NIA) have shown that people who sleep six hours or less per night in their 50s and 60s are more likely to develop dementia later in life.
World Alzheimer’s Month
September is World Alzheimer’s Month, a time when we come together to raise awareness and support the nearly 24 million people worldwide suffering from this debilitating disease.
Upcoming Webinar!
Next Friday, September 8th, our very own Dr. Parina Aggarwal will be speaking at the “Alzheimer’s and Sleep” webinar hosted by the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation. Learn how sleep can enhance your brain health and hear Dr. Aggarwal dive further into the bidirectional relationship between Alzheimer’s and sleep. The webinar will begin at 7:30 (EDT).
You don’t have to keep putting up with sleepless nights. At FusionSleep®, we have dedicated our entire medical practice to helping patients as young as two years old get their lives back through healthy sleep. We offer various sleep solutions, in-lab and at-home sleep testing options, and virtual appointments on our established telemedicine platform. Contact us today on our website or by calling 678.990.3962.