From time to time, adequate sleep is indicated. Important for daily functioning and long-term health. Sleep plays many roles: restoring energy for the brain, clearing waste products, and forming memories. Prior education Short sleep duration has been clearly linked to heart disease, obesity, lower cognitive performance, poor mood, and even a shorter lifespan. Now, latest research has come out that implies that a certain style of sleep deprivation (the dream phase of sleep) could also be linked to earlier death in middle-aged and older people.
What is REM sleep?
Normal sleep is split into two kinds of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM). NREM is further classified by the depth of sleep. N1 and N2 are the sunshine stages of sleep, and N3 is deep sleep, which is probably the most restorative. (REM is the stage where vivid dreams occur.) Brain wave activity during this era appears to be much like brain activity during waking hours. REM periods often occur every 90 minutes, and are longest within the second half of the night. REM sleep typically makes up 20% to 25% of sleep time.
How does sleep change with age?
Sleep time and sleep stages naturally change as we age. Total sleep time decreases by 10 minutes per decade until age 60, when it stops decreasing. Time spent in N3 sleep, the deep sleep stage, decreases with age. Time increases in N1 and N2. As a result, people get up more easily as they age. The percentage of REM sleep also naturally decreases. Thus, reduced time spent in REM could also be a marker of aging.
The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour internal clock that regulates many body functions, including body temperature, hormone secretion, and sleep timing. The internal clock “advances” with age, so older adults go to sleep earlier and get up earlier. Adapting to jet lag and shift work becomes tougher. Daytime sleep also increases since the circadian rhythm is stronger and the drive to sleep is reduced at night.
Studies have also shown that healthy older adults may not notice problems with sleep when it is definitely worse, or may assume that certain disturbances are a part of aging once they have treatable conditions. .
Why will less sleep increase my risk of death?
In the short term, sleep deprivation increases cortisol levels, causes a rise in blood pressure, decreases glucose tolerance, and increases the body's fight-or-flight system activity, all of which may result in diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. are related to an increased risk of attack and stroke. . Cognitive performance also decreases in the course of the day, leading to more accidents. Twenty-four hours of continuous alertness impairs driving ability at a blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.10%, which is above the legal limit.
In the long run, each short and long sleep (lower than five hours or greater than nine hours) are related to earlier death. People who sleep lower than 4 hours have a dramatically increased risk of dying early. Through heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic stress, low immunity, and overall accelerated aging..
Less sleep makes a difference in dreams.
We know that less sleep is related to increased mortality, nevertheless it has not been clear until now that less sleep in a selected sleep phase makes a difference within the health risks related to sleep deprivation. Oh A new study Published in JAMA Neurology The association between REM sleep and premature death was checked out in two large study groups, certainly one of 2,675 older men and the opposite of 1,386 middle-aged men and ladies. They followed each groups over time and checked out the connection between sleep stages and causes of death.
Both groups showed increased mortality related to reduced REM sleep, with a 13% higher mortality rate for each 5% reduction in REM sleep. REM sleep was an important sleep stage for predicting survival.
Putting New Research into Context: What Does It Mean for Me?
This study showed an association between reduced REM and increased mortality, but didn't show the explanation for the association. REM deprivation can independently contribute to the event of several other diseases. The findings apply more clearly to older adults, on condition that the age groups studied averaged of their 50s and 70s. There might also be temporary REM. A sign of a diseased or aging brain; Less REM sleep has already been linked to a. Increased risk of dementia. Overall, ensuring adequate REM sleep is critical to protecting your long-term health.
Getting higher sleep in middle age and beyond
Some basic steps to enhance your sleep and health include:
- Get no less than seven hours of sleep every night. If you continue to feel drained, get some more sleep; Some people need eight or nine hours of sleep to feel rested.
- Keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. This will make it easier to go to sleep, and keep your circadian rhythm in sync together with your sleep and wake times.
- Try to sleep when your body naturally desires to sleep and get up. This may vary from sleep and wake times required by work schedules, which also has negative consequences. A sleep doctor will help reset your circadian clock to suit your schedule.
- Depression or other mood disorders may cause sleep disturbances. Talk to your doctor when you're feeling low, you're now not having fun with your hobbies, otherwise you're scuffling with anxiety or depression.
- If you possibly can't go to sleep, stay asleep, or feel sleepy on a regular basis, you could must be evaluated by a health care provider for a sleep problem similar to sleep apnea or insomnia. Treating these disorders could make an enormous difference in overall sleep quality and health.