News.Life

<ul class="mol-bullets-with-font">
 <li class="">
  <strong>
   READ MORE:
   Dementia explosion linked to one of America's favorite foods
  </strong>
 </li>
</ul>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 Waking up mid-dream could be an early warning sign of dementia, a study suggests.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 People who go into rapid eye movement (REM) sleep - the part of the sleep cycle responsible for dreams and storing memories - later in the night are more prone to or more likely to have dementia.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 The researchers believe this could be because
 REM sleep is crucial for the production of melatonin.
 , which aids in eliminating harmful proteins associated with brain damage.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 According to researchers, one indication that you might be experiencing delayed REM sleep or insufficient amounts of it is frequently waking up during a dream.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 That's why following a night of alcohol consumption
 alcohol
 you're less likely to sleep soundly, as alcohol suppresses REM sleep.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 Dr Yue Leng, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UCSF, said: 'The delay in REM sleep disrupts the brain's ability to consolidate memories by interfering with the process that contributes to learning and memory.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 'If it is insufficient or delayed, it may increase the stress hormone cortisol. This can impair the brain's hippocampus, a critical structure for memory consolidation.'
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 The study comes as dementia kills more than 288,000 Americans every year and affects about 7million.
</p>
<img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1xXPFB" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1xXPFB.jpg"/>
<img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1xXG9k" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1xXG9k.jpg"/>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 REM follows three phases of non-REM sleep, each deeper than the last.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 The four phases take 90 minutes or more to complete, depending on age, and a person may cycle through them four or five times in a typical night.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 Older people take longer to reach REM.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 In the
 new study
 , researchers from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital have
 Beijing
 monitored the sleep cycles of 128 participants whose average age was 70 years.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 Approximately half were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and around one-third exhibited signs of mild cognitive impairment, which often precedes Alzheimer’s. The remaining participants showed typical cognitive function.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 Scientists monitored their brainwave patterns, ocular movements, heart rate, and respiration throughout the night at the facility.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 They subsequently split the participants into groups based on early and delayed REM sleep stages.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 The early group typically reached REM less than 98 minutes after falling asleep, while the late group took more than 193 minutes.
</p>
<img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1xXPFE" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1xXPFE.jpg"/>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 Those with Alzheimer’s were more likely to have delayed REM sleep, 16 percent more amyloid and 29 percent more tau than those with early REM sleep.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 These are toxic proteins that clump together in the brain to form plaques in nerve cells, disrupting normal communication and killing them off.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 Previous research on mice has suggested melatonin can boost REM sleep and decreases tau and amyloid accumulation.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 Other drugs that treat insomnia by blocking a chemical that suppresses REM sleep have also been shown to decrease tau and amyloid.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 The scientists suggested that people who are concerned about their Alzheimer's risk should 'practice healthy sleep habits' that help shift from light to REM sleep.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 Dr Dantao Peng, an expert in neurology at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and study senior author, added: 'This includes treating conditions like sleep apnea and avoiding heavy drinking, since both can interfere with a healthy sleep cycle.
</p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">
 'Patients taking certain antidepressants and sedatives that reduce REM sleep should discuss their concerns with their doctor, if they are worried about Alzheimer's.'
</p>
Read more

Could Mid-Dream Waking Be a Sign of Dementia Risk? Discover Why

Unknown alzheimer's disease, brain health, dementia, health, health and exercise

READ MORE: Dementia explosion linked to one of America's favorite foods Waking up mid-dream could be an early warning sign of dementia, a study suggests. People who go into rapid ey…

<p>
 <a href="https://christinebryden.com/about-christine/">
  Christine Bryden
 </a>
 was gobsmacked in 1995, when doctors
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/alzheimers/statistics-surrounding-alzheimers">
  diagnosed
 </a>
 her with Alzheimer's. Only a year before, the 46-year-old biochemist had won Australia's Public Service Medal for outstanding work in science and technology. "Life was up for me," she writes on the YoungDementia UK website. "But on that fateful afternoon, everything changed, and I felt cut down in my prime."
</p>
<p>
 As she looked back, Bryden began to believe her diagnosis was somehow connected to her lifestyle. She never got enough sleep. She worked all the time. Her stress levels were stratospheric. At night she came home "with a pile of work," which she dove into after rushing to get her young daughters settled for the night. The next morning, Bryden woke up, worked some more, then got her daughters ready for the day.
</p>
<h2>
 Looking at her lifestyle
</h2>
<p>
 "Maybe a lack of sleep damaged my brain to some extent. But also, a high level of stress may have contributed to my brain damage," she writes. Bryden might not be that far off. Although doctors have been treating Alzheimer's for decades, they are still stymied as to its exact causes. For the most part, scientists believe the disease is
 <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-causes-alzheimers-disease#:~:text=The%20causes%20probably%20include%20a,differ%20from%20person%20to%20person.">
  triggered by a number of genetic and lifestyle factors
 </a>
 . Each impacts the brain over time. While people cannot change how old they are or the genes they are born with, they
 <em>
  can
 </em>
 change how they live. For starters, they can quit smoking and start eating more healthful foods. They can exercise more and lose weight. They can drink less and stimulate their minds more.
</p>
<p>
 A risk factor is just that - something that increases a person's risk, or chances, of developing some type of medical condition. Some risk factors, like age, are "non-modifiable," which means they cannot be prevented. Others, however, may be able to change with certain lifestyle habits. Here, a look at some of the most commonly known risk factors for
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/alzheimers/the-stages-of-alzheimers">
  Alzheimer's disease
 </a>
 and what - if anything - you may be able to do about them.
</p>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/mental-health/nearly-half-of-dementia-cases-are-preventable-read-report">
 <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1rd7Fq" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1rd7Fq.jpg"/>
</a>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/mental-health/nearly-half-of-dementia-cases-are-preventable-read-report">
 Wellness
</a>
<h3>
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/mental-health/nearly-half-of-dementia-cases-are-preventable-read-report">
  <span>
   Nearly Half of Dementia Cases Are Preventable-See the 2024 Report Highlights
  </span>
 </a>
</h3>
In 2022, 2.3 million U.S. adults aged 65 and older were diagnosed with dementia, increasing concerns among at-risk seniors about prevention. The 2024 Lancet dementia report identified 14 key risk factors, plus two new ones, suggesting that 45 percent of dementia cases could be preventable with lifelong intervention. Read the full story to discover how […]
<h2>
 Non-modifiable risk factors
</h2>
<h3>
 Age
</h3>
<p>
 While certain memory loss is normal as we age, Alzheimer's is not. Experts say that between the ages of 65 and 70, the prevalence of AD is 1.5 percent. That means 15 out of every 1,000 people will get the disease by that point in their life. Those odds increase with each year. By the time we reach 75, the prevalence more than doubles, to 3.5 percent, or 35 out of every 1,000. By the time we hit 80, the prevalence of AD increases to 6.8 percent. As we approach our 100th birthday, the percentage skyrockets to 44.5 percent.
</p>
<h3>
 Family history
</h3>
<p>
 Whether we get Alzheimer's disease may have to do with our genetics. Researchers say that if one parent or sibling has the disease,
 <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/alzheimers-in-the-family#:~:text=Family%20history%20by%20the%20numbers,hike%20in%20your%20existing%20risk.">
  your risk increases by about 30 percent
 </a>
 . And there's also a greater chance of developing AD if both parents are afflicted.
</p>
<h3>
 Ethnicity
</h3>
<p>
 <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2023/02/alzheimers-genetics.html">
  Some studies suggest
 </a>
 that ethnic minorities, especially African Americans, have higher rates of dementia than Caucasians. Scientists recently identified two new genes in African Americans that may increase the risk. One of the genes,
 <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/gene-variant-linked-higher-risk-alzheimers-african-americans">
  ABCA7, works to produce cholesterol and lipids
 </a>
 . Some researchers believe that Alzheimer's may involve abnormalities in how our bodies metabolize fat. Other factors, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, may also play a role among older African Americans and Latinos. It's also possible that
 <a href="https://aaic.alz.org/releases_2022/lower-socioeconomic-dementia-risk.asp">
  lower incomes and limited educational opportunities
 </a>
 due to systemic discrimination against both groups contribute to the disease's progression.
</p>
<h3>
 Brain injury
</h3>
<p>
 Researchers believe a
 <a href="https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/related_conditions/traumatic-brain-injury">
  traumatic brain injury increases the risk of Alzheimer's
 </a>
 and other forms of dementia.
 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1173459/">
  One study found
 </a>
 that older adults who have had moderate traumatic brain injury (lost consciousness for more than 30 minutes) are 2.3 times more likely to develop AD than seniors who have not had a head injury. Seniors who have had severe brain injury (lost consciousness for more than 24 hours) are 4.5 times more likely to develop AD. Obviously, not everyone who experiences a head injury develops Alzheimer's or some other type of dementia. Moreover, there is no evidence indicating that a mild brain injury increases the risk.
</p>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/do-genes-cause-alzheimers">
 <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1u2mUx" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1u2mUx.jpg"/>
</a>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/do-genes-cause-alzheimers">
 Wellness
</a>
<h3>
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/do-genes-cause-alzheimers">
  <span>
   Does Alzheimer's Run In the Family? Here's What Doctors Know About the Gene Factor - And What They Don't
  </span>
 </a>
</h3>
Understand the link.
<h2>
 Modifiable risk factors
</h2>
<h3>
 Heart health
</h3>
<p>
 When it comes to Alzheimer's, what's bad for your heart is bad for your brain. Researchers believe that cardiovascular problems are linked to the progression of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia later in life. A
 <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28783817/">
  study published in 2017 by researchers at Johns Hopkins University
 </a>
 tracked nearly 16,000 middle-aged people in four states. Over a 25-year span, from 1987, researchers administered a variety of medical, memory, and cognitive tests. As the study progressed, 1,500 people were diagnosed with dementia, confirming that those with midlife vascular risk factors, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, had a greater chance of developing dementia. Moreover, the researchers confirmed what other studies had only hinted - smoking cigarettes increased the risk of dementia.
</p>
<h3>
 Alcohol use
</h3>
<p>
 For years scientists have been investigating if alcohol use is related to Alzheimer's. One study, amazingly, found that drinking up to three glasses of wine a day lowered the risk of Alzheimer's, but
 <em>
  only in people who have the APOE e4 gene
 </em>
 .
 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3865814/">
  Other studies
 </a>
 have also described the beneficial effects of low to moderate wine consumption. As much as researchers can decipher, low to moderate drinking actually protects the brain by reducing the viscosity, or thickness, of blood and increasing the amount of good cholesterol, known as HDL, in the body.
</p>
<p>
 That said, two major reviews of multiple research studies found that
 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6320619/">
  heavy drinkers and binge drinkers were more likely to develop AD and other forms of dementia
 </a>
 than those who drank moderately. Binge drinking, according to the
 <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm">
  Centers for Disease Control
 </a>
 and Prevention, is when men consume five or more drinks in about two hours and women imbibe four or more in that same period.
</p>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/brain/how-alzheimers-affects-your-brain">
 <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1u2D9h" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1u2D9h.jpg"/>
</a>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/brain/how-alzheimers-affects-your-brain">
 Aging
</a>
<h3>
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/brain/how-alzheimers-affects-your-brain">
  <span>
   What Really Happens to a Brain With Alzheimer's? Onset, Effects, and Scientific Findings Explained
  </span>
 </a>
</h3>
An attack on the body's main control center.
<h3>
 Obesity
</h3>
<p>
 Obesity causes a variety of ills, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, and other cardiovascular issues. It also seems to be a major factor in AD, doubling a person's
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/brain/how-alzheimers-affects-your-brain">
  risk of developing amyloid plaque
 </a>
 - the bogeyman of Alzheimer's - later in life. Past research on how people's weight influences their risk of dementia has produced conflicting results.
 <a href="https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/alert/overweight-linked-increased-risk-dementia/">
  Some studies say
 </a>
 that if you're obese, you're at a high risk for dementia.
 <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25866264/">
  Other studies
 </a>
 , however, have linked lower-than-average weight to increased dementia.
</p>
<p>
 In 2017, however, researchers put nearly all questions regarding obesity and Alzheimer's to rest.
 <a href="https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/high-bmi-linked-increased-risk-dementia-later-life/">
  A 38-year study of 1.3 million adults
 </a>
 living in the United States and Europe concluded that individuals with a high body mass index (BMI) are more likely to develop Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia than those who have a normal body weight.
</p>
<p>
 In that same study, scientists found that people with early-onset dementia and a low BMI go on to develop full-blown dementia more often than those who are of a healthy weight. The reason, researchers concluded, is that both obesity and a low body weight during the pre-dementia stage change how the body metabolizes fat. The study suggests that maintaining a healthy weight could prevent the illness - or at least stave off its effects.
</p>
<h2>
 How lifestyle may make a difference
</h2>
<p>
 In 2017, researchers in Great Britain announced that changing how you live may throw up a roadblock in the path of Alzheimer's disease. And while there are no proven ways to permanently stave off AD, they note that some changes in lifestyle might slow its progression.
</p>
<p>
 The study, conducted by the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care, looked at nine risk factors. It concluded that more than one-third of all Alzheimer's cases are related to these risk factors and that avoiding them at every stage of life may delay or even stop memory loss. The researchers reached their conclusions by looking at a number of past Alzheimer's Disease studies. Their statistical analysis found that 35 percent of dementia cases could be prevented by fully addressing these and several other contributing lifestyle issues. Researchers noted that combating Alzheimer's needs to begin early - as soon as children start going to school.
</p>
<p>
 The less time a child spends in school, the greater the risk of developing Alzheimer's later in life. In fact, the researchers found that children who had no secondary schooling had a 7.5 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer's. That's why the researchers recommend that students stay in school until they reach the age of 15.
</p>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/brain/experts-share-6-easy-brain-boosting-memory-enhancing-tips-youll-want-to-try">
 <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1u2hCV" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1u2hCV.jpg"/>
</a>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/brain/experts-share-6-easy-brain-boosting-memory-enhancing-tips-youll-want-to-try">
 Aging
</a>
<h3>
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/brain/experts-share-6-easy-brain-boosting-memory-enhancing-tips-youll-want-to-try">
  <span>
   Experts Share 6 Easy Brain-Boosting, Memory-Enhancing Tips You'll Want to Try!
  </span>
 </a>
</h3>
From the "smartest" foods (hint: SMASH!) to the fun tricks that'll help you recall people's names, experts share memory-boosting tips!
<h3>
 Lifestyle changes
</h3>
<p>
 The study also recommends that people, regardless of their age, exercise more, stop smoking, become more involved socially, reduce their weight, and manage their depression. "Although dementia is diagnosed in later life, the brain changes usually begin to develop years before, with risk factors for developing the disease occurring throughout life, not just in old age," said lead study author
 <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychiatry/people/livingston-g">
  Gill Livingston, Ph.D.
 </a>
 , professor of psychiatry of older people at the University College London. "We believe that a broader approach to prevention of dementia, which reflects these changing risk factors, will benefit our aging societies and help to prevent the rising number of dementia cases globally."
</p>
<p>
 The study was provocative, because researchers based their conclusions on a statistical analysis of previous studies rather than patient research. A similar study in the US was a bit more circumspect, concluding that perhaps a few lifestyle changes can bolster brain health, although the study offered no definitive proof that they would. Yet scientists are so intrigued with the lifestyle component that the
 <a href="https://aaic.alz.org/releases_2017/AAIC17-Thurs-overview-recap.asp">
  Alzheimer's Association in 2017 launched a $20 million clinical trial
 </a>
 with 2,500 people to see whether lifestyle changes can prevent cognitive decline and dementia.
</p>
<p>
 While lifestyle changes help some people, they might not help others. That's because there are myriad reasons that some people get Alzheimer's and others do not. One reason is genetics, especially in early-onset cases. People who suffer from late-onset Alzheimer's (in which symptoms become apparent in a person's mid-60s) do so because of a series of complex brain changes that occur over decades. There is consensus among researchers that genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors all play a role.
</p>
<h2>
 How to keep your mind sharp and ward off Alzheimer's risks
</h2>
<h3>
 Have an extra cuppa
</h3>
<p>
 Turns out coffee packs a boatload of brain-boosting nutrients. Research published in BMJ found that adults who regularly drink three to four cups of caffeinated coffee a day have a lower risk of Alzheimer's and other cognitive dysfunction. That's thanks to coffee's combo of brain-supporting antioxidants and caffeine, which can increase alertness and sharpen concentration both in the moment and in the long run.
</p>
<h3>
 Take a hike
</h3>
<p>
 A study in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that planned, structured and repetitive exercise, such as a daily walk around the block, slows cognitive decline. Exercise improves blood flow and increases noradrenaline, a chemical that transmits nerve signals in the brain. To get the benefit, walk 30 minutes per day at least three days a week.
</p>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/gut-microbiome-and-alzheimers-the-link-between-your-gut-and-brain">
 <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1qYeS6" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1qYeS6.jpg"/>
</a>
<a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/gut-microbiome-and-alzheimers-the-link-between-your-gut-and-brain">
 Wellness
</a>
<h3>
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/gut-microbiome-and-alzheimers-the-link-between-your-gut-and-brain">
  <span>
   The Gut Microbiome May Play a Role in Your Alzheimer's Risk: MD Explains
  </span>
 </a>
</h3>
Find out how to nourish your gut and potentially help reduce the risk of memory loss as you age
<h3>
 Savor tuna salad
</h3>
<p>
 Omega-3 fatty acids help build brain and nerve cells. And studies have shown that omega-3s can help prevent Alzheimer's and other age-related cognitive decline too. Fatty fish such as salmon, albacore tuna, herring and sardines are a great source of omega-3s-aim to eat at least 8 oz. of fish per week.
</p>
<h3>
 Sleep easy
</h3>
<p>
 An analysis of more than 50 trials found that taking at least 3 mg of melatonin daily for six to 12 months improved cognitive function. The sleep hormone helps promote sound rest that benefits brain health, plus it reduces oxidative stress, a major contributor to brain aging.
</p>
<p>
 <em>
  A version of this article appeared in our partner magazine Alzheimer's: New Hope for a Cure, in 2020, as well as Woman's World in 2024.
 </em>
</p>
<p>
 <strong>
  Keep scrolling for more:
 </strong>
</p>
<p>
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/aging/falls-may-increase-dementia-risk-how-to-prevent-them">
  <strong>
   Falls Could Increase Dementia Risk, Study Says-Here's How To Prevent Them
  </strong>
 </a>
</p>
<p>
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/life/healing-with-music-police-officers-gift-to-alzheimers-patients">
  <strong>
   Meet the Police Officer Who Uses His Violin to Bring Comfort to Dementia Patients and Alzheimer's Communities
  </strong>
 </a>
</p>
<p>
 <a href="https://www.womansworld.com/wellness/study-reveals-link-between-gut-health-and-parkinsons-risk-over-time">
  <strong>
   New Study Links Gut Health With Parkinson's Risk-Plus One GI Symptom That Could Be an Early Sign
  </strong>
 </a>
</p>

While Alzheimer's Might Seem Out of Your Hands, There Are a Few Risk Factors You Might Be Able To Control

Unknown alzheimer's disease, brain health, dementia, medical conditions and diseases, neurodegenerative diseases

Christine Bryden was gobsmacked in 1995, when doctors diagnosed her with Alzheimer's. Only a year before, the 46-year-old biochemist had won Australia's Public Service Medal for outstan…

News.Life

Rosemary and Other Common Herbs May Hold the Key to a Breakthrough in Alzheimer's Treatment

Could Mid-Dream Waking Be a Sign of Dementia Risk? Discover Why

While Alzheimer's Might Seem Out of Your Hands, There Are a Few Risk Factors You Might Be Able To Control

TOP NEWS