The older you get, the more you need to sleep … “Sleep disturbance is the cause of dementia”

[이데일리 이순용 기자] With an aging society, the prevalence of dementia is also increasing. In the case of ‘Alzheimer’s disease’, one of the representative diseases of dementia, amyloid abnormal proteins are deposited in the brain, causing brain damage and causing cognitive dysfunction.

There are several risk factors that cause ‘Alzheimer’s disease’, such as age and aging, cerebral infarction, diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, smoking, drinking, family history, and brain damage. This has been shown to increase the risk of dementia.

For humans, sleep conserves energy, restores the body, and especially plays a role in consolidating memories into long-term memories, and maintaining various functions for life activities in the body. When performing various activities during the day in daily life, the memory is registered as short-term memory in the hippocampus of the brain and temporarily stored. will play a role.

According to the International Journal of Nanomedicine, the ‘Glymphatic System’ was first discovered in the brain in 2012, confirming that it plays a role in cleaning the brain.

Professor Han Su-hyeon of the Department of Neurology at Chung-Ang University Hospital said, “In Alzheimer’s dementia, various abnormal proteins accumulate in the brain, and the brain’s glymph system plays a role in cleaning these proteins. Sleeping well is the most important thing because it cleans proteins and wastes during the period.”

In fact, several epidemiological studies have revealed that there is a difference in cognitive function between the sleeping group and the sleepless group. According to the Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord study of women aged 70 to 81 years old, those who slept less than 5 hours had lower cognitive functions, including memory and attention, than those who slept for 7 hours or more. The overall cognitive function score was lower even if there were insomnia symptoms such as difficulty waking up, maintaining sleep, or having difficulty sleeping regularly.

In addition, according to the publication of the International Journal of Sleep Medicine (Sleep Medicine), a prospective study conducted on the elderly over 65 years of age with normal cognitive function also found that sleeping less than 6.5 hours was associated with a decline in cognitive function following 10 years.

In a study conducted by the International Psychological Association (Psychol Bull) of school-age children aged 5 to 12 years as well as the elderly, it was confirmed that short sleep duration had an effect on cognitive functions such as executive function and performance ability, and was also associated with lower grades. done.

In fact, there is also a study confirming that the deposition of amyloid protein increases in brain PET-CT when sleeping for less than 6 hours. As such, sleep disturbance can be a cause of dementia, so it is most important to develop a healthy sleep habit.

Professor Han Su-hyeon of the Department of Neurology at Chung-Ang University Hospital said, “For healthy sleep habits, it is necessary to find out the exact cause of sleep disorders. Because there are various types of disorders such as REM sleep behavior disorder, it is necessary to find and treat the root cause by a specialist.”

Next, Professor Han Su-hyeon said, “In order to sleep well, a high need for sleep, proper sleep timing and low arousal level must be in harmony in regular circadian rhythm. “It’s good to relax your body and stop thinking through deep breathing before going to bed, rather than paying too much attention to deliberately trying to sleep for control.”

To get a good night’s sleep, it is important to adjust the relationship between sleep and stimulus conditions that control sleep, such as bedtime, bedtime, and bedroom, by using the bed or bedroom only as a sleeping space and doing activities that interfere with sleep outside the bedroom. It is important. Go to bed only when you are sleepy, never lie down when you are tired, get out of bed and come back when you are sleepy if you can’t sleep, and wake up at the same time every day regardless of your sleep time.

The longer you lie down without falling asleep, the lower your sleep efficiency, which makes it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

‘Sleep restriction therapy’ aims to increase sleep efficiency by artificially inducing mild sleep deprivation. In addition, ‘relaxation therapy’ in which you breathe in for 5 seconds and breathe out for 5 seconds before going to sleep can also help you sleep.

Professor Han Su-hyeon said, “‘Cognitive behavioral therapy’, in which patients and therapists repeatedly consult regarding sleep, correcting wrong sleeping habits or beliefs that accompany chronic insomnia, and increasing understanding of sleep, is the most preferred treatment for chronic insomnia. If the effect is good, you can cut down on the sleeping pills you are taking and stop taking them.” He said, “Incorrect dysfunctional thoughts regarding sleep can actually make it harder to sleep. It is necessary to check and correct the automated thinking regarding anxiety caused by the health and psychological reasons caused by this,” he said.

He continued, “It may be helpful to use an appropriate sleeping pill for temporary insomnia, but since it does not treat the cause of insomnia, the effect may be temporary. It is necessary to take this medicine with caution and consult with a sleep medicine specialist before taking it.”

◇ Basic Principles for Sleeping Well (Source: Korean Sleep Research Association)

1. Go to bed at a regular time every day and wake up at a regular time.

2. Make sure that the sleeping environment is quiet and not bright, and that it is not too hot or too cold.

3. Do regular exercise every day, but avoid excessive exercise before going to bed.

4. Avoid beverages and foods containing caffeine.

5. Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol before going to bed.

6. A warm bath before bed can help.

7. Avoid hunger or overeating.

8. Avoid looking at the clock, cell phone, TV, or books in bed.

9. Wake up when you can’t sleep or wake up in the middle, and go to bed when you fall asleep.

10. Avoid exposure to bright light at night.