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Lack of sleep as a secret dementia alarm: Discover new warning signals!
Cases of dementia are increasing in Germany, sleep disorders as early warning signals; Prevention through a healthy lifestyle is recommended.
Lack of sleep as a secret dementia alarm: Discover new warning signals!
The increase in dementia cases in Germany is increasingly affecting younger people, as current reports show. According to the German Alzheimer Society, around 1.8 million people in Germany are affected by this disease. In addition, studies from Canada show that sleep disorders can occur years before a medical diagnosis of dementia. The first signs of possible dementia can even appear decades before diagnosis.
Typical symptoms of dementia include confusion, forgetfulness, loss of sense of smell, disorientation, aggressiveness, irritability, depression, personality changes, delusions, hallucinations, speech problems, and decreased activity and difficulty in everyday life. Disturbances in REM sleep, which can be seen as warning signs of neurodegenerative diseases, play a special role. The risk of dementia or Parkinson's disease increases by 80 to 100 percent if you hit or kick at night while you sleep.
Sleep and risk of dementia
REM sleep, which accounts for about a quarter of sleep and is characterized by rapid eye movements and muscle relaxation, has a significant impact on the risk of dementia. Studies show that shortened periods of REM sleep increase the risk of dementia. In addition, the total sleep duration plays a crucial role; Lack of sleep could cause harmful substances to build up in the brain. People who get an average of seven hours of sleep per night have the lowest rates of dementia. In contrast, people who sleep less have a 30 percent higher rate of dementia.
However, the connection between sleep and the risk of dementia is not yet fully understood. A healthy diet, regular exercise and an active social life are recommended for prevention. A diet rich in flavonoids could also promote brain health. For more information about REM sleep and its importance as an early sign of Alzheimer's, see an article by dementia-im-hospital.de.
In addition, the Alzheimer Society Schleswig-Holstein e.V. reported on long-term treatment with gantenerumab for people with dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease, which effectively reduces amyloid-β deposition in the brain, although no clinically relevant slowing of cognitive decline was observed.
Further details about the dangers of sleep disorders and their connection to dementia can be found in the article by fuldaerzeitung.de be read.