Sleep is like an oil change for the brain to renew it for more work.” “A car engine cannot work continuously without maintenance. “During sleep, the brain rests and prepares for more work,” he explained to MNT. Raphael Wald, a neuropsychologist at Baptist Health Marcus Neuroscience Institute, said our brains are both electrical and chemical entities that are constantly working, much like the engine of a car. “Over time this lack of repair leads to dysfunction and disease.”Īnd Dr. “Without time to recover, the brain cannot adequately repair itself from the daily wear and tear of life,” he explained to Medical News Today. John Showalter, chief product officer at digital cognitive assessment platform provider Linus Health, said sleep is also important because it is restorative, meaning it is when the brain and body slow down to recover from the activities of the day. Chronic inflammation is the cause or exacerbator of many brain diseases and disorders.”ĭr. “Without consistent deep sleep, we have an incomplete clearing of adenosine and other waste products like blood cells and the result is chronic inflammation. “When we are awake, neurons produce a chemical called adenosine - a by-product of the cells’ activities,” Dr. In deep sleep, our cerebrospinal fluid and the brain’s immune system clear away waste products from our brain cells.” “There are several major functions that occur during sleep including memory consolidation, emotional processing, and a deep cleaning process. Sullivan, a board-certified neuropsychologist and owner of I CARE FOR YOUR BRAIN, sleep is a staple of physical and mental health including brain health: Let us take a closer look at why sleep is so important for brain health and some of the ways scientists believe sleep correlates with dementia risk.Īccording to Dr. And that number is expected to increase to 78 million by 2030 and 139 million by 2050.īecause sleep is important for a variety of brain functions and many people who have dementia experience sleep disturbances, researchers have taken an increased interest in figuring out what the link between sleep and risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease might be. Right now, more than 55 million people around the world live with dementia. Previous research shows sleep deprivation to be a global issue.Īnother global health concern receiving much attention lately is that of dementia, in general, and a specific type of dementia known as Alzheimer’s disease. Image credit: Oleksii Syrotkin/Stocksy.Īlthough it is recommended most adults receive 7 or more hours of sleep each night, many people struggle with getting enough shut-eye. Share on Pinterest Does sleep influence Alzheimer’s risk? We investigate.
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