The guide to
Sleep & Brain Health
Sleep as dementia defense
Sleep and the brain
Better sleep for a healthier brain
narration
What does healthy sleep have to do with a healthy brain?
narration
Sleep is essential to overall health
High quality sleep supports a healthy gut microbiome, facilitating digestion.
During sleep, the body balances:
- Appetite hormones (leptin and ghrelin)
- Growth hormones
Adequate sleep helps lower cortisol levels, a hormone tied to stress.
Supports a Healthy Gut Microbiome
Balance Hormones
Lower Cortisol Levels
narration
Get rid of zoomy animation and hidden text, just write it out on the slide — it's easy to miss if you don't click, not intuitive interactives, and the zoom is distracting
It's also essential to cognitive health
Memory consolidation
Sleep converts short-term memories to long-term memories, making us less forgetful.
Learning and executive function
Sleep boosts our attention span, planning abilities, time management, prioritization, emotional control, and other executive functions.
Productivity and creativity
Sleep helps us focus and gives us the energy to think and perform at our best during the day.
narration
Sleep as an Alzheimer's defense
When we're not sleeping well, the glymphatic system could malfunction, allowing problematic proteins to build up in the brain.
The glymphatic system is like the brain's janitor, and it works at night, clearing out harmful cells as we sleep. It uses spinal fluid to wash away toxic proteins like beta-amyloid, which builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
narration
Read more
Poor sleep and dementia
Researchers now understand that poor sleep and dementia are closely linked. Peter Alders, a health policy researcher at Erasmus University Rotterdam, found that people who consistently sleep six hours or fewer each night are 44 percent more likely to develop dementia later in life. On the other hand, very long sleep, nine hours or more, often emerges shortly before dementia symptoms appear, meaning it may be an early warning sign of the disease rather than a direct cause. Studies have shown that people who experience less slow wave and rem sleep earlier in life had greater brain atrophy years later. Restorative sleep is essential for protecting the brain.
narration
Other studies have found the oppposite - that naps could signal a person has dementia. we can't just mention the good study. include them both here and ping me to review - https://www.beingpatient.com/napping-alzheimers/
Let's get a slide in here with an expert face and quote. Wong might have some things
The importance of deep sleep
Being Patient interviewed Dr. Roger Wong, who notes that getting enough sleep allows your brain to go through its important cleaning cycle, which sets us up to be considerably more well-rested.
Expert Perspective
“During the day, let’s say, you put some dishes in your dishwasher, and you have a buildup of dirt and grime. [Those are] the beta-amyloid proteins that we know are associated with dementia risk...During deep sleep, all of this is drained away, and the beta-amyloid is drained away during the nighttime. That is why deep sleep is critical for us.”
Roger Wong, PhD, MPH, MSWAssistant Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine SUNY Upstate Medical University
narration
Read more
Questions researchers are asking
Scientists are still learning more about the link between sleep and brain health.
Are sleeping drugs good or bad for the brain?
Read more
Does sleep apnea increase dementia risk?
Read more
narration
What happens when you don't get enough sleep?
Long-term
Short-term
Not sleeping enough makes you: - Forgetful
- Less focused
- More moody
Chronic sleep deprivation also causes: - Insomnia
- Narcolepsy
- Poor attention span
narration
narration
REM Sleep - Memories are consolidated
- Microglia repair the brain
- Immune system is reinforced
Dozing Off - Transition between sleep and wakefulness
- Benefits from cool and dark setting
Stages of Sleep
Deep Sleep - Restorative sleep, allowing for bodily recovery and growth
Light Sleep - Body activity slows
- Prevents daytime fatigue
narration
Science-backed advice for better sleep
Maintain a regular sleep schedule
Make sure your bedroom is cool, quiet, and dark
Create a relaxing pre-bedtime routine
Avoid long daytime naps
Exercise to manage your stress
Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bed
narration
narration
Research on naps and brain health
Short naps are linked to higher brain volume...
Researchers at Harvard and UCL found that habitual nappers who regularly nap just five to 15 minutes a day have a higher total brain volume, which may aid with alertness and other mental skills. They concluded that daytime napping "may limit cognitive decline as a person ages".
Read more
...but too much napping could also lead to Alzheimer's
However, Brigham and Women’s Hospital found a link between excessive daytime napping and cognitive aging: excessive daytime napping as it predicted an increased future risk of Alzheimer’s, and a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s sped up the increase in daytime napping during aging.
Read more
narration
Other studies have found the oppposite - that naps could signal a person has dementia. we can't just mention the good study. include them both here and ping me to review - https://www.beingpatient.com/napping-alzheimers/
What is sundowning?
Sundowning, a common symptom of various forms of dementia, is characterized by worsening behaviors and psychological changes that come about each day, in the late afternoon and evening — around sundown. In sundowning a certain set of these personality changes tend to intensify as the day progresses, typically peaking around sunset. They might include: agitation, confusion, anxiety, irritability, and restlessness. The exact cause of sundowning is not fully understood, but several factors are believed to contribute:
Reduced ability to handle changing light
Disruptions in the internal body clock
Sensory overstimulation
Fatigue
narration
Other studies have found the oppposite - that naps could signal a person has dementia. we can't just mention the good study. include them both here and ping me to review - https://www.beingpatient.com/napping-alzheimers/
Managing sleep and sundowning
Experts recommend managing sundowning by creating strong sleep cues throughout the day. Exposure to natural daylight in the morning and early afternoon, combined with darker environments in the evening, helps keep circadian rhythms on track.
Establishing a consistent daily routine and engaging the person in structured activities before dinner can also reduce late-day agitation and prepare them for better rest.
narration
Other studies have found the oppposite - that naps could signal a person has dementia. we can't just mention the good study. include them both here and ping me to review - https://www.beingpatient.com/napping-alzheimers/
Want to learn more?
Visit
beingpatient.com
for the latest news and information on brain health and Alzheimer's disease
narration
narration
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Transcript
The guide to
Sleep & Brain Health
Sleep as dementia defense
Sleep and the brain
Better sleep for a healthier brain
narration
What does healthy sleep have to do with a healthy brain?
narration
Sleep is essential to overall health
High quality sleep supports a healthy gut microbiome, facilitating digestion.
During sleep, the body balances:
Adequate sleep helps lower cortisol levels, a hormone tied to stress.
Supports a Healthy Gut Microbiome
Balance Hormones
Lower Cortisol Levels
narration
Get rid of zoomy animation and hidden text, just write it out on the slide — it's easy to miss if you don't click, not intuitive interactives, and the zoom is distracting
It's also essential to cognitive health
Memory consolidation
Sleep converts short-term memories to long-term memories, making us less forgetful.
Learning and executive function
Sleep boosts our attention span, planning abilities, time management, prioritization, emotional control, and other executive functions.
Productivity and creativity
Sleep helps us focus and gives us the energy to think and perform at our best during the day.
narration
Sleep as an Alzheimer's defense
When we're not sleeping well, the glymphatic system could malfunction, allowing problematic proteins to build up in the brain.
The glymphatic system is like the brain's janitor, and it works at night, clearing out harmful cells as we sleep. It uses spinal fluid to wash away toxic proteins like beta-amyloid, which builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
narration
Read more
Poor sleep and dementia
Researchers now understand that poor sleep and dementia are closely linked. Peter Alders, a health policy researcher at Erasmus University Rotterdam, found that people who consistently sleep six hours or fewer each night are 44 percent more likely to develop dementia later in life. On the other hand, very long sleep, nine hours or more, often emerges shortly before dementia symptoms appear, meaning it may be an early warning sign of the disease rather than a direct cause. Studies have shown that people who experience less slow wave and rem sleep earlier in life had greater brain atrophy years later. Restorative sleep is essential for protecting the brain.
narration
Other studies have found the oppposite - that naps could signal a person has dementia. we can't just mention the good study. include them both here and ping me to review - https://www.beingpatient.com/napping-alzheimers/
Let's get a slide in here with an expert face and quote. Wong might have some things
The importance of deep sleep
Being Patient interviewed Dr. Roger Wong, who notes that getting enough sleep allows your brain to go through its important cleaning cycle, which sets us up to be considerably more well-rested.
Expert Perspective
“During the day, let’s say, you put some dishes in your dishwasher, and you have a buildup of dirt and grime. [Those are] the beta-amyloid proteins that we know are associated with dementia risk...During deep sleep, all of this is drained away, and the beta-amyloid is drained away during the nighttime. That is why deep sleep is critical for us.”
Roger Wong, PhD, MPH, MSWAssistant Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine SUNY Upstate Medical University
narration
Read more
Questions researchers are asking
Scientists are still learning more about the link between sleep and brain health.
Are sleeping drugs good or bad for the brain?
Read more
Does sleep apnea increase dementia risk?
Read more
narration
What happens when you don't get enough sleep?
Long-term
Short-term
Not sleeping enough makes you:- Forgetful
- Less focused
- More moody
Chronic sleep deprivation also causes:- Insomnia
- Narcolepsy
- Poor attention span
narration
narration
REM Sleep- Memories are consolidated
- Microglia repair the brain
- Immune system is reinforced
Dozing Off- Transition between sleep and wakefulness
- Benefits from cool and dark setting
Stages of Sleep
Deep Sleep- Restorative sleep, allowing for bodily recovery and growth
Light Sleep- Body activity slows
- Prevents daytime fatigue
narration
Science-backed advice for better sleep
Maintain a regular sleep schedule
Make sure your bedroom is cool, quiet, and dark
Create a relaxing pre-bedtime routine
Avoid long daytime naps
Exercise to manage your stress
Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bed
narration
narration
Research on naps and brain health
Short naps are linked to higher brain volume...
Researchers at Harvard and UCL found that habitual nappers who regularly nap just five to 15 minutes a day have a higher total brain volume, which may aid with alertness and other mental skills. They concluded that daytime napping "may limit cognitive decline as a person ages".
Read more
...but too much napping could also lead to Alzheimer's
However, Brigham and Women’s Hospital found a link between excessive daytime napping and cognitive aging: excessive daytime napping as it predicted an increased future risk of Alzheimer’s, and a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s sped up the increase in daytime napping during aging.
Read more
narration
Other studies have found the oppposite - that naps could signal a person has dementia. we can't just mention the good study. include them both here and ping me to review - https://www.beingpatient.com/napping-alzheimers/
What is sundowning?
Sundowning, a common symptom of various forms of dementia, is characterized by worsening behaviors and psychological changes that come about each day, in the late afternoon and evening — around sundown. In sundowning a certain set of these personality changes tend to intensify as the day progresses, typically peaking around sunset. They might include: agitation, confusion, anxiety, irritability, and restlessness. The exact cause of sundowning is not fully understood, but several factors are believed to contribute:
Reduced ability to handle changing light
Disruptions in the internal body clock
Sensory overstimulation
Fatigue
narration
Other studies have found the oppposite - that naps could signal a person has dementia. we can't just mention the good study. include them both here and ping me to review - https://www.beingpatient.com/napping-alzheimers/
Managing sleep and sundowning
Experts recommend managing sundowning by creating strong sleep cues throughout the day. Exposure to natural daylight in the morning and early afternoon, combined with darker environments in the evening, helps keep circadian rhythms on track.
Establishing a consistent daily routine and engaging the person in structured activities before dinner can also reduce late-day agitation and prepare them for better rest.
narration
Other studies have found the oppposite - that naps could signal a person has dementia. we can't just mention the good study. include them both here and ping me to review - https://www.beingpatient.com/napping-alzheimers/
Want to learn more?
Visit
beingpatient.com
for the latest news and information on brain health and Alzheimer's disease
narration
narration