Strategy 4: Prioritizing Sleep – The Power of Restorative Rest
Quality sleep is more powerful than you might think, especially when it comes to preventing dementia. It’s during sleep that your brain performs some of its most crucial maintenance work.
Sleep provides the brain with the opportunity to clear out harmful proteins that accumulate during the day, including Beta-Amyloid, a protein linked with Alzheimer’s disease. Without sufficient sleep, this cleaning process might not function effectively, leading to a potential buildup of these harmful proteins.
Targeting seven to nine hours of sleep each night can support this vital brain maintenance. However, it’s not just the length of sleep that matters, but the quality as well. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, minimizing caffeine intake close to bedtime, and creating a sleep-friendly environment are all essential to achieving restful sleep.
If you experience persistent sleep issues, such as insomnia or sleep apnea, it’s important to seek professional help. These sleep conditions can significantly affect your brain health, and addressing them can vastly improve your sleep quality, and subsequently, your cognitive health. (4)
