While sleep
researchers are constantly learning more about why we need sleep, one thing has
been clear since the beginning of time: If we don’t get enough of it, we
falter. Sleep deprivation has been identified as a factor in countless
tragedies including friendly fire incidents in the military, train accidents,
plane crashes, industrial and automobile accidents, and medical misjudgments.
Some of us have
personally experienced the agony of sleep deprivation when pulling all-nighters
in school, taking care of a newborn baby, doing shiftwork, driving for long
periods of time, or trying to meet a looming deadline. The effects of sleep
deprivation may be subtle at first: our thinking may be a bit more sluggish,
our memory not quite as precise, and our movements a bit slower. However,
the impact often quickly accelerates, and before we know it we may feel like we
are moving through the world in a slow-motion state of clumsiness and
increasing confusion.
What is less obvious
is that sleep deprivation actually impairs our ability to process and store the
memories that we
form during our waking hours. Furthermore, if sleep deprivation is chronic
(occurring over months or years), it may also be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s
disease.
Just this summer,
researchers at Washington University found that disrupted sleep led to
increased levels of two proteins associated with Alzheimer’s – beta amyloid and tau.
In the study, beta amyloid levels increased after just one night of sleep
deprivation, and tau levels increased after one week of sleep deprivation.
Although it is likely that the brain has a
mechanism for correcting for such effects of short-term sleep deprivation,
this finding may provide a possible explanation for the link between chronic
sleep deprivation and Alzheimer’s.
Related findings in
a mouse model of Alzheimer’s showed that not only was beta amyloid
significantly higher in mice who were sleep deprived, but the rate at
which beta amyloid was cleared from the brain doubled during sleep.
Although this brain-cleaning mechanism has not yet been observed in
humans, it is interesting to note that beta amyloid levels in humans increase
throughout the day, but decrease during sleep. These results – when combined
with data showing that sleep is necessary to successfully remember information
– provide growing support for the link between sleep and brain health.
Because sleep is
often the first casualty of an overextended schedule, many of us do not feel
well rested and refreshed on a regular basis. So, how do we give our brain the
sleep it needs to function at optimal levels?
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1. Figure out how much sleep you need to feel well
rested. Although the average person requires 7-9 hours of sleep, many
individuals need more or less time. How do you know how much is optimal for
you? If you feel refreshed, awaken without an alarm clock, feel alert
throughout the day (without excessive use of caffeine), and
do not fall asleep immediately after your head hits the pillow, chances are you
are getting enough sleep. If you are not getting enough sleep, gradually
increase the amount of time you sleep until you feel well rested, and
prioritize getting that amount on a regular basis.
2. Schedule in “down-time” prior to bedtime.
Engaging in a relaxing pre-bedtime ritual helps signal the body of the upcoming
transition to sleep, and improves sleep quality. Calming activities might
include dimming the lights, reading, and listening to soft music. Also consider
turning off blue-light devices about an hour before bedtime (e.g. televisions,
cell phones, tablets), given that blue light has been shown to interfere with
melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone.
3. If you can’t fall asleep after 10 minutes, get up and
do something relaxing. When we lie in bed and think about things for
long periods of time before falling asleep, our brain unwittingly links lying in bed with
thinking. As a result, we may automatically go into “thinking” mode rather than
“sleeping” mode when
we lie down the next time. To teach your brain to pair lying in bed with
sleeping, if you cannot fall asleep after 10 minutes, get up and do
something calming such as reading or meditating. Then return to
bed when you feel groggy. Repeat this as many times as necessary in a given
night. This recommendation may seem paradoxical, but it really works! Over
time, your brain will more readily go into sleeping mode rather than thinking
mode when you lie down.
Prioritizing optimal
sleep helps your brain function faster, remember better, and just may help to
minimize the risk of Alzheimer’s. Optimal sleep also helps reduce the risk of
accidents, and maximizes mood, quality of life, and immune functioning. With all
of these benefits, it’s time to prioritize getting some Zz’s!
