On February 19, 2020, the scientific journal PLOS One published a new study on the importance of quality sleep. According to these publications, there is evidence that adequate sleep can prevent brain disease.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative Project (BBHI) sponsored by Institut Guttmann and La Caixa in Barcelona, ​​Spain. The study was conducted on the basis of data collected through an online questionnaire for experimental participants between the ages of 40 and 65 who did not have health problems related to this topic.

Over a total of 4,500 people’s sleep patterns over a year, the researchers established that good sleep is a critical factor in reducing the risk of developing neurological or neuropsychiatric disorders. It was also confirmed that these disorders cause changes in regular sleep.

Good sleep can prevent brain disease

A study of the quality of good sleep and the effects of sleep on brain disease began in 2017 with 4.500 experimental participants. 2,353 of them continued to provide data for one year. Of the 2,353, 73 were eventually diagnosed with new neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dr Alvaro Pascual Leone, head of the science division of the study, in his final report, stressed the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Research shows that a healthy lifestyle is a crucial factor in maintaining good brain health. Inadequate physical activity affects sleep. Likewise, one of the authors of the study, Dr Gabriel Cataneo, pointed out that women with poor sleep are at greater risk of developing depression. The study also found a link between poor sleep quality and other disorders such as hepatitis and high blood pressure.

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Good sleep is a decisive factor

It is worth noting that the BBHI study was not the first to address the link between sleep quality and brain disease prevention. In April 2019, experts at the 27th General Assembly of the Spanish Neuroscience Congress made similar comments.

At the event, experts discussed and shared opinions on the quality of rest and brain disease. Experts have concluded that there is a lot of new evidence. That is, it may be a bidirectional relationship between sleep disorder and neurodegenerative disease. Among the neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease are the most common.

It has also been confirmed that sleep disturbances develop years before the first symptoms of dementia appear in many cases. So people should think of these factors as warning signs. In turn, if a person with brain disease also suffers from sleep problems, the condition worsens faster. Dr Sandra Jimenez Badia, a clinical psychologist at the San Pau Hospital in Barcelona, ​​provided tremendous information, saying that up to 70% of patients with any type of dementia also suffer from sleep disturbances.

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Lifespan and Alzheimer’s Disease

The Pascual Marragal Foundation, which specializes in Alzheimer’s disease research, published a study in the journal Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Treatment. After analyzing 1,638 people, the researchers concluded that those who had suffered from sleep disturbances had less volume in the anterior or posterior cortical area of ​​the brain.

These areas of the brain participate in processes such as intellectual performance and memory. Also, the first signs of degeneration appear mainly in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers also found changes in the white matter of the brain. In addition, there was a stronger effect of insomnia in bearers of the APOE-ε4 gene variant. In other words, there is a link between insomnia and the risk of Alzheimer’s. Details have yet to be revealed, but the link is being studied. Finally, people with poor sleep quality are at greater risk of developing various health problems. So don’t take insomnia, waking up, or any type of inappropriate rest lightly. If you have any of these problems, you should seek professional consultation for detailed observation.