Low Amount of Slow Wave Sleep and Your Risk For Dementia

September 25, 2024

Last fall researchers set out to see if there was an association between slow wave sleep--the sleep that happens during the first part of the night--with a higher risk of developing dementia. 

Slow wave sleep, known as SWS, supports the brain in many ways. During this time in your sleep cycle, your body physically restores itself. In addition, 95% of growth hormone is produced during this stage of sleep. This is also the time where the daily wear and tear your body and brain receive is repaired to leave you ready to tackle tomorrow. So it is a pivotal part of your restorative health!

The findings of this study were even more telling of the connection between your sleep cycle and dementia. Even losing as little 1% of your SWS is linked to a 27% increase in your risk for developing dementia.

Now that we know SWS is so key to our long term good health, how do we make sure we are getting enough? Follow all the tips and tricks we have listed in our blogs! There are dozens of suggestions to get you sleeping longer and better.

If you want to track your sleep to see how long you are in the different parts of your sleep cycle, consider this or this. They will compile the data for you so you can see trends over time.

 

Read the article in full here.

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