Fragmented sleep could be an early sign of Alzheimer's disease!
A study published in the journal, JAMA Neurology found that adults with healthy memories who had disrupted circadian rhythms had protein buildups of a substance called amyloid plaque, which can serve as an early sign of Alzheimer's.
Jehana Antia | Jan 31, 2018, 10:52 IST
Fragmented sleep marked by repeated wake-ups during the night and a need to nap during the day could be an early sign of the Alzheimer's disease, according to a research published in the journal, JAMA Neurology. The study found that adults with healthy memories who had disrupted circadian rhythms - also known as sleep cycles - had protein buildups of a substance called amyloid plaque, which can serve as an early sign of Alzheimer's.
The damage that causes Alzheimer's-associated memory loss can begin 15 or 20 years before symptoms of the disease become evident. This new study provides more evidence of that link and indicates that sleep disruption might be a very early warning sign of future neurodegenerative disease. The findings also suggest that working to treat sleep issues early may help protect brain health down the road. "It wasn't that the people in the study were sleep-deprived," lead study author Dr Erik Musiek said in a press release. "But their sleep tended to be fragmented. Sleeping for eight hours at night is very different from getting eight hours of sleep in one-hour increments during daytime naps," he continued.
To be clear, that doesn't mean that one night of bad sleep leads to Alzheimer's. But it does make sleep trouble even more disturbing than the tired feeling that lingers after a restless night and so we urge all of you having sleep problems to see a specialist soon to avoid damage in the future.
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