Poor Sleep Patterns Linked to Alzheimer's Disease, Study Shows

Calgary, Canada: The high-quality nutritional supplements manufacturer Nutriden Inc. has outlined a new study that shows a link between poor sleep and the occurrence of Alzheimer's as a part of their ongoing awareness campaign on insomnia and its impact on health. People who suffer from Alzheimer's disease are known to have an erratic sleeping pattern - they feel sleepy during the day and have trouble falling asleep at night. Now, researchers are trying to establish whether it is a chronic lack of sleep that leads people to develop Alzheimer's and Dementia in their later years.

According to Tom Schumlich, Founder of Nutriden Inc., "Alzheimer's is a painful disease that progressively destroys a person's memory and thinking skills to the point where they are unable to function independently. By prioritizing a natural healthy sleep cycle, people can dramatically reduce their chances of suffering from Alzheimer's, Dementia, and other mental health issues."

The study, which was published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, had consisted of a sleep survey carried out on a sample of 101 people where 65% of the participants were female and the mean age of the group was 63 years. These participants had normal thinking and memory skills but were considered to be at risk of developing Alzheimer's, either having a parent with the disease or being a carrier of a gene that increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The study found that the participants who self-reported problems with sleep had a higher presence of biological markers that signaled a risk for developing Alzheimer's as compared to those without any sleep problems.

Another aspect of the study was its focus on daytime sleepiness. Daytime sleepiness is defined as a persistent feeling of sleepiness and a general lack of energy, even after a night of adequate sleep. The study discovered that those suffering from daytime sleepiness also had a higher chance of developing Alzheimer's due to the presence of biological markers like amyloid, tau, brain cell damage, and inflammation.

While getting better sleep at night is not likely to reverse the effect of Alzheimer's, a consistent sleep cycle maintained over the span of a lifetime can prevent the disease from showing up. A healthy sleep cycle, even when maintained via mindfulness therapies and natural sleep aids, can have a lasting effect on one's mental health in the future. To learn more about how a good sleep cycle helps in maintaining good health, visit Nutriden Inc.'s official website.