Sleep Deprivation Linked to Alzheimer's, Dementia

Here's some serious reasons to get a handle on your sleep problems. A new study suggests that we need a certain amount of sleep every night so the brain can rid itself of waste. According to the article The Real Reason Why Sleep Deprivation Can Destory You, the brain has it's own waste removal system termed the 'glymphatic system'. It works while we sleep.

Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases are associated with not only the buildup of waste products, but also lack of sleep. While the team's previous study suggested glymphatic failures might be behind neurodegenerative diseases, the current study suggests lack of sleep could be an additional culprit. Specifically, if someone consistently doesn't get enough sleep, amyloid beta and other waste could build up in the brain and destroy neurons, leading to dementia.

The implications of the study are huge, especially when you consider that 50 to 70 million adults in the United States alone have a sleep or wakefulness disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are a number of different drugs out there to help induce sleep, but future therapies could also help the brain clear out its waste products, Deane said.

For good sleep, Ayurveda recommends keeping a regular routine of waking and sleeping. Avoid stimulants like coffee, nicotine, alcohol and caffeine. Eat a vata pacifying diet. Avoid raw, cold and dry foods. Favor warm, cooked, moist foods and dress appropriately for the weather. Stay warm!

Oil therapies like shirodhara and abhyanga (self-massage) will also bring great relief to insomnia. But a regular routine must be adopted for someone to regain balance in the system.