Your Memory Loss May Just Be a Lack of Sleep

Seniors should be aware of the fact that memory loss, especially during stressful situations, is not always a symptom of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.  In a recently published report from Uppsala University of Sweden, sleep researchers Jonathan Cedernaes and Christian Benedict proved that something as simple as not getting enough sleep can affect long-term memory. 

As we already know that short-term memories are transferred to our long-term memories when sleeping, the researchers set out to discover what role sleep plays in memory retention when someone is subjected to acute cognitive stress.  In the study two groups of participants were taught a series of paired card locations on a computer screen.  The next day, the participants with only 4 hours of sleep had a 10 percent decrease in retaining the learned information while exposed to loud noises.  On the other hand, the group who got a full night’s sleep experienced no memory loss of the learned pairing even when exposed to stressful conditions. 

The researchers explained that while “losing half a night of sleep may not impair memory functions under baseline conditions, the addition of acute cognitive stress may be enough to lead to significant impairments, which can possibly be detrimental in real-world scenarios.”   Furthermore, Cedernaes added that, "An important next step will be to investigate how chronic sleep loss and or more chronic stress may interact to impair the ability to retrieve memories that are consolidated during sleep.”   

In another study from Uppsala University, the same group of researchers discovered that elderly men with a history of sleep problems appear to have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s.  Their findings suggest that “strategies aimed at improving sleep quality in late life may help reduce the risk to develop Alzheimer's disease." They also note the importance of following a healthy lifestyle such as a good diet and exercise. 

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Sources:uu.se/en/media/press-releases/pressrelease/?id=2778&area=3,8&typ=pm&lang=en

seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Alzheimers/2014/20141028_Elderly-Men-Reporting-Sleep-Problems-at-Higher-Risk-for-Alzheimers-Disease.htm