Sleep and Alzheimer's: What Are Late Nights Costing You?
A new study has reported that a good night's rest is more important than just some "beauty sleep." It has stated that people who have trouble sleeping could be linked to memory problems later on.
According to the study, people who cannot make it through the night without waking are more likely to suffer from memory loss than those who get a full night's rest. The study, which is to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in New Orleans in April, went further to suggest that those who wake frequently through the night are more likely to get Alzheimer's disease.
The study was conducted on 100 participants, and showed that those who woke up more than five times a night or spent less than 85 percent of their time in bed actually sleeping were more likely to have preclinical Alzheimer's disease.
"We found that if people had a lot of awakenings during the night, more than five awakenings in an hour, they are more likely to have preclinical Alzheimer's disease," says researcher Yo-El Ju, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Despite the apparent connection, researchers have yet to discover the direction of the link. Whether those who have preclinical Alzheimer's have more trouble sleeping or if those who don't get a good night's rest are more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's is still unknown.
"We don't have any information that tells us which direction the association is," Ju said, adding that more research still needed to be done.
Other studies have revealed that the lack of sleep can have several effects on the brain. According to WebMD, sleep deprivation can also cause decreased performance and alertness and more stressful relationships.
The lack of sleep has also been linked to other mental disorders.
