Good Sleep for Brain Health by M. Chris Wolf

Even melatonin supplements shouldn’t be used regularly, St-Onge said.

Don’t rely too much on sleep aids, which can be addictive.

“Your body processing the nutrients may also disturb sleep,” St-Onge said. While a light snack may be OK, a large meal may trigger acid reflux. “Alcohol is a sedative, but once it’s metabolized by your body, it creates arousal and you may have more broken sleep,” she said.

Avoid consuming alcohol too close to bedtime.

“Make sure the effects of caffeine have worn off before you go to bed,” St-Onge said. Although young people may be able to handle a cup of coffee in the afternoon, she noted, that may change as they age. “Turn off the TV, so your melatonin can rise naturally and you can have a good night’s sleep without any help.” “Bright light will suppress the release of melatonin, a hormone that gets your body to fall asleep,” St-Onge said.

Banish bright light from lamps, TVs, cell phones and other electronic devices.

Make your bedroom or sleeping space as comfortable, quiet and dark as possible. Take action to improve your sleep St-Onge recommended the following steps to get better sleep. Insomnia, or the inability to sleep, is even more harmful to brain health and is being studied more closely as an underlying condition contributing to a wide range of health conditions. Sleep is part of the environment that allows your genetic makeup to shine.” “There is genetics and there is environment.

“Sleep impacts your health and all bodily systems,” St-Onge said. And addressing sleep issues can help improve mental health conditions. Sleep problems may increase the risk of developing certain mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety. “If you have long sleep but it’s fragmented, you’re interrupting the sleep cycle,” St-Onge said. Sleep disruptions affect your levels of neurotransmitters and stress hormones, which may make it more difficult to think and regulate your emotions. REM sleep, or the dreaming phase of sleep, has been shown to enhance learning, memory and emotional well-being. “There’s a pressure to sleep, and when you do, that pressure gets dissipated and that’s how you feel fresh in the morning.” “There’s a cleanup process that happens in brains when we sleep,” St-Onge said. It consolidates memories and clears plaque-forming amyloids and tau proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. “Sleep is absolutely instrumental in cognitive function, mental acuity and the ability to concentrate and learn new things,” said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, an associate professor at Columbia University in New York City.ĭuring sleep, your brain deals with information received during the day. Did you know that it’s especially important for brain health? Sleep and your brain

But as anybody who has tossed and turned all night may understand, getting enough shuteye is crucial for good health. Sleep is one of life’s enduring mysteries. National Hypertension Control Initiative.Pets and Your Health / Healthy Bond for Life.

Good Sleep for Brain Health by M. Chris Wolf