New sleep research is out; is sleep the new fountain of youth?
I’m always searching for the latest news in health and beauty; and especially looking for small, easy ways to stay healthy over 40.
We all know the importance of sleep for our general health but lately I’ve been seeing more and more research on sleep’s ability to slow the aging process. And big bombshell: researchers now believe that sleep can help prevent Alzheimer’s.
The New York Times details research that a lack of sleep may increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
Researchers are finding that a sticky protein called beta-amyloid increases when people have less quality sleep, and that lack of sleep sets the brain up for memory loss and the progression towards Alzheimer’s years later.
The duration of your sleep is important but science is now discovering that the quality of your sleep is just as important as how much sleep you get. Here’s yet more information from US News and World Report on the link between sleep and Alzheimer’s.
If you have a hard time falling and staying asleep or toss and turn, you need to increase the quality of your sleep. How exactly do you do that?
One hurdle to quality sleep is sleep apnea.
We’ve known for a long time that sleep apnea contributes to serious illnesses like heart disease, but sleep apnea might also increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s and memory impairment.
Sleep apnea is serious, so if you suspect you might have sleep apnea, get it checked out and treated. Here’s information on sleep apnea symptoms from the Mayo Clinic.
I just read this article in Parade Magazine on Huffington Post founder, Ariana Huffington and her crusade to get Americans to view sleep as an essential health habit.
Huffington is now a sleep evangelist sharing the importance of sleep across social media. Huffington gets 8 hours of sleep a night and has a strict no electronics in the bedroom rule. Her article shares lots of simple tools to help you get a more rested night’s sleep.
Here are several other articles with tips on how to get a better night’s sleep (and some simple sleep aids to try).
National Sleep Foundation: Sleep Tips
Parade Magazine: 6 Sleep Aids that are better than counting sheep.
And if all the health scares aren’t enough reason to sleep better, how about vanity? Here’s info that sleep may help make you look younger.
It seems pretty clear that it’s time for us all to get serious about our shut eye.
Alzheimer’s runs in my family. I was heartbroken when two members of my family were recently diagnosed with this horrible illness.
I watched my maternal grandfather’s painful slide away from us, day by day, into Alzheimer’s until he didn’t even recognize his own wife of fifty years.
Alzheimer’s is no joke, and this data is scary enough to get me to finally clean up my own sleeping act.
Please share this important information on sleep research and Alzheimer’s with those you love. This information is just too important for everyone to ignore.
How’s your quality of sleep? Would love to hear what tips have helped you sleep better.
xoxo-Rosie
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