Sleep and Risk of Dementia
Are Sleep Problems Related to Dementia?
Page contents
- Dementia and Sleep Problems: Understanding the LinkSafeguarding Brain Health with Sleep
- Dementia and Sleep: Can Lack of Sleep Cause Dementia
- What Is the Best Sleep Aid for Dementia Patients?
- Sleep-related Problems to Rule Out the Risk of Dementia
- Common Types of Disorders: Dementia and Sleep Problems
- How Much Sleep is Linked to Cognitive Decline or Dementia?
- Get the Right Support to Deter Dementia: Sleep and Dementia
Dementia and Sleep Problems: Understanding the Link
A Proper Sleep is the Secret to Optimal Brain Health
Are you facing sleep problems? Sleep-related issues are common in one’s life at one point or another, but if problems persist, this can increase the risk of dementia. Find out the relationship between dementia and sleeplessness!
Sleep and cognition have a close and multi-layered relationship. Several key components need to be addressed to optimize your brain health – and sleep is near the top of that list.
High-quality sleep is when our brain restores, repairs, and regenerates. We need high-quality sleep to give our brains the best chance to clear out toxins, solidify memories, and do much more. Many people around the world ignore their sleep quality and focus instead on ‘getting as much done as possible’ while awake. Which often comes with the cost of less sleep. It turns out that sleep deprivation and dementia risk are closely related.
Are you suffering from poor sleep problems?
Dementia and Sleep: Can Lack of Sleep Cause Dementia
It’s not always just the quantity of sleep that increases risk of dementia. It turns out both quantity and quality of sleep are essential to preventing dementia. Many factors affect our sleep quality including how much oxygen our brain receives when asleep and what stages of sleep we can attain through the night.
These factors can be affected by various medical conditions, medications, food intake, stress, and many other contributors that we explore more deeply in our program.
We use research, science, and evidence-based approaches to help ensure that you are doing everything possible to optimize your sleep – and thus optimize your brain health.
We have great tips and resources available in our free Deter Dementia newsletter that will be able to explain what you need to do today to continue to improve your brain health moving forward.
What Is the Best Sleep Aid for Dementia Patients?
Dementia and sleep share a close relationship which must not be ignored if one truly wants to reduce their lifetime risk of developing dementia. Therefore it is important to identify and know the different types of sleep aids for dementia patients. There are several sleep medications for dementia patients but a proper evaluation and approval by a doctor are required to ensure the medication does not have any adverse effects as most sleep aids do have negative cognitive side effects.
However, some more effective remedies to reduce one’s risk of developing dementia without bringing medications involves careful and consistent lifestyle changes. These sleep hygiene strategies are actually beneficial for all individuals – regardless of whether you suffer any cognitive impairment or not:
- Setting up a regular sleep routine
- Regular physical activity to improve health
- Eating full and proper nutritious meals
- Getting exposure to vitamin D via bright light in the morning
- Limiting caffeine intake to prevent interference with sleep
- Limiting all screen time for a few hours before bedtime
Several medications have also been tested to enhance sleep. Melatonin can be useful for some individuals but it is important to discuss this and any other medications with your physician or healthcare provider to ensure it is right for you.
Sleep-related Problems to Rule Out the Risk of Dementia
Cognitive impairment and dementia can progress slowly and gradually over time. After understanding the relationship between lack of sleep and risk of dementia, one must take proper measures to ensure their sleep is protected and prioritized.
Here are some common sleep problems to review and monitor for:
- Trouble falling and staying asleep
- Waking up several times at night
- Feeling so tired that you need to nap frequently during the day
- Feeling anxious near bedtime
- Having sleep interrupted before feeling fully rested
- Feeling increasingly angry or frustrated in the evening
Common Types of Disorders: Dementia and Sleep Problems
Tying dementia to every sleep problem would cause unnecessary worry about developing this disease. Here is a list of dementia-related sleep problems to ensure you get assessed as soon as possible if these are affecting you:
| Insomnia | Incomplete and improper sleep leads to brain changes over a prolonged period hence leading to increased chances of Alzheimer’s. Incomplete sleep is also known to increase risk of depression, which can further contribute to cognitive decline and dementia. |
| Obstructive Sleep Apnea | The chances of developing dementia in people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is much greater than healthy individuals. This is because OSA limits the amount of air taken in during sleep hence decreasing the oxygen transmitted to the brain throughout the night. This results in low oxygen for the brain and can contribute to atrophy (shrinkage) in the brain itself and can lead to decline in cognitive function over time. |
| REM Behavior Disorder | Rapid eye movement sleep, or REM sleep, is the stage of sleep during which we dream. Our muscles relax during REM sleep, causing us to remain motionless. On the other hand, some people have a disorder that makes them talk or act out their dreams while they're asleep. This may be referred to as rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) if it occurs frequently. |
| Parkinson's disease | And dementia with Lewy bodies appear to be especially linked to RBD. Particularly in older males, several studies indicate that it might be a very early sign of these disorders. This, according to researchers, may be because one of the first areas of the brain to suffer damage is the area that regulates our muscles while we sleep. |
How Much Sleep is Linked to Cognitive Decline or Dementia?
Proper sleep is an integral part of the bodily functions. Complete healthy sleep helps in optimal brain performance and improved neurotransmission. This helps to keep the memory and creative thinking cognitive functions at an optimal level.
Even one night of severe sleep deprivation increases tau and beta-amyloid levels. These proteins have been connected to Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, insomnia interferes with slow-wave sleep, which is important for memory and learning. The poorer the sleep quality becomes, the greater the decline in natural cognitive abilities. Therefore, understanding the great risk between sleep and dementia is the first step towards successful treatment.
Get the Right Support to Deter Dementia: Sleep and Dementia
Our approach is to use research, science, and evidence-based approaches to help ensure that you are doing everything possible to optimize your sleep – and thus optimize your brain health.
We have great tips and resources available in our free Deter Dementia newsletter that will be able to explain what you need to do today to continue to improve your brain health moving forward.
If you have sleep difficulties, we need to figure out the root cause and address that. Most sleep aid medications unfortunately do not address the cause for sleep trouble and instead are associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment!
Let us help you on this journey. Together we can continue to live excellent lives and reduce our risk of cognitive decline with simple, easy steps.
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