Lack of sleep can lead to Alzheimer's disease: new information from scientists

The more we learn about sleep, the more we understand how important it is for the brain. So, not enough continuous rest increasesCircadian Rest-Activity Pattern Changes in Aging and Preclinical Alzheimer Disease Alzheimer's risk is scary news for anyone who regularly tries to get by with four, five, or six hours of sleep.

In late 2019, researchers from Boston University foundCoupled electrophysiological, hemodynamic, and cerebrospinal fluid oscillations in human sleephow the lack of rest is associated with this disease. They observed three processes in the participants' brains during sleep: electrophysiological fluctuations, changes in the flow of blood and cerebrospinal fluid. In the evenings, participants came to the laboratory and fell asleep inside an MRI machine with an encephalographic helmet on their head.

As you probably know, there are several sleep cycles. In each cycle, we go through slow (deep) and REM sleep.

It is the phase of slow sleep that is associated with the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

At this time, all neurons begin to work synchronously - an amazing phenomenon that is never seen again. Usually they alternately "light up" and "go out" like little bulbs. When they all "go out" at the same time, the brain's need for oxygen decreases (just as turning off real light bulbs reduces electricity consumption). And since less oxygen is needed, it means less blood, so blood flow to the brain slows down.

This allows more cerebrospinal fluid to flow into it. It constantly surrounds the brain and participates in various processes, including the removal of metabolic products from it. It also removes pathogenic beta-amyloids, which accumulate in the brain and lead to the emergence Alzheimer's disease.

This is why slow sleep is important. When we are in this phase, the cerebrospinal fluid gradually clears our brain. This cleansing process cannot be activated in any other way other than sufficient NREM sleep.

Sleeping during the day to make up for the lack of a night's rest will not help.

Many people perceive sleep as a bank account: took away one hour of sleep on Monday, and put an extra one on Saturday to get back to the right amount. But here everything is much more complicated. Sleep deprivation is more like capitalizing interest: each time it is multiplied by the amount of previous sleep deprivation.

“You may feel more invigorated by sleeping longer on the weekend, - is talking neuroscientist Cathy Goldstein, "but it’s impossible to truly make up for the sleep lost during the week."

Minda Zetlin

Journalist, former president of the American Society of Journalists and Writers.

My mother died of Alzheimer's in 2015. Having lived with her for over 20 years, I watched her slow degradation: at first she lost short term memory, then most of your dignity, and then all of yourself.

Since this study came along, I've thought a lot about her relationship to sleep. She paid little attention to him. She lived and worked in New York, but at 60 she married a man who lived 160 kilometers north. For many years she went to see him on weekends, and on Monday she got up between 3-4 in the morning so as not to get stuck in traffic jams on Sunday evening.

Perhaps things would be different if she slept more. I will never know, and now it is not so important. But for me, I try to get enough sleep as often as possible. Do your best.

Sleep should always come first. It doesn't matter what yours will drop productivityif you don't get enough sleep. It doesn't matter that you get angry and irritable. It doesn't matter that you can't think clearly and accomplish difficult tasks. These are all temporary effects and can be easily removed. Unlike Alzheimer's.