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Sleep deprivation

In women, even mild sleep problems may raise blood pressure

A study examining blood pressure and sleep habits in 323 healthy women found that those who had mild sleep problems were significantly more likely to have elevated blood pressure. Further examination of some of these women revealed an association between endothelial inflammation and mild sleep disturbances. Endothelial inflammation is a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/cuim-iwe062618.php

Brooke, A., Nour, M., Riddhi, S., Memet, E., Ying, W., Marie‐Pierre, S., & Sanja, J. (2018). Effects of Inadequate Sleep on Blood Pressure and Endothelial Inflammation in Women: Findings From the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network. Journal of the American Heart Association, 7(12), e008590. Retrieved from https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.118.008590

Sleep problems linked to age-related cognitive problems

Chronic insomnia linked to memory problems

Data from 28,485 older Canadians (45+) found that those with chronic insomnia performed significantly worse on cognitive tests than those who had symptoms of insomnia without any noticable impact on their daytime functioning and those with normal sleep quality. The main type of memory affected was declarative memory (memory of concepts, events and facts).

More studies linking poor sleep to Alzheimer's risk

Disrupted sleep in one's 50s, 60s raises Alzheimer's risk

A study involving 95 healthy older adults found that adults reporting a decline in sleep quality in their 40s and 50s had more amyloid-beta in their brains later in life, while those reporting poorer sleep in their 50s and 60s had more tau tangles. Those with high levels of tau protein were more likely to lack the synchronized brain waves during deep NREM sleep that are associated with a good night's sleep, and the more tau protein, the less synchronized these brain waves were.

Sleep apnea linked to problems recalling specific autobiographical details

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep.

People with OSA are known to suffer memory problems and also have higher rates of depression.

A new study connects the two by finding that people with untreated OSA had problems recalling specific details about their lives. Previous research has established that persistent depression is associated with overly general autobiographical memories, where people don't remember many specific details of life events.

Poor sleep in older adults may increase Alzheimer’s risk

Poor sleep has been associated with Alzheimer's disease risk, but a new study suggests a specific aspect of sleep is important.

The study, involving 119 older adults (60+), of whom 80% were cognitively normal and the remainder very mildly impaired, found that decreased slow-wave sleep coincided with higher levels of tau in the brain and a higher tau-to-amyloid ratio in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Being short of sleep may harm brain development

Untreated sleep apnea in children shrinks brain & may slow development

Brain scans of children who have moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea have found significant reductions of gray matter across the brain.

The study compared brain scans from 16 children (aged 7-11) with obstructive sleep apnea to those from nine healthy children of the same age, gender, ethnicity and weight, who did not have apnea. The scans were also compared to 191 MRI scans of children who were part of an existing database.

Losing weight with a high-protein diet can help adults sleep better

A pilot study involving 14 overweight or obese adults (average age 56) on a calorie-restricted diet, found that those whose diet had higher levels of protein showed greater improvements in their sleep score, regardless of the source of the protein.

In a follow-up study, 44 overweight or obese participants followed a normal-protein or a higher-protein weight loss diet (either 0.8 or 1.5 kg of protein for each kg of body weight) for 16 weeks. Sleep quality improved for those on the high-protein diet, but not for those on the normal-protein diet.

Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire.

The sources of protein were beef and pork, or soy and legume.

Higher protein intake has also been linked to promoting body fat loss, retention of lean body mass and improvements in blood pressure.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-03/pu-lww032416.php

Zhou, J., Kim, J. E., Armstrong, C. L., Chen, N., & Campbell, W. W. (2016). Higher-protein diets improve indexes of sleep in energy-restricted overweight and obese adults: results from 2 randomized controlled trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103(3), 766–774. http://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.115.124669

Better sleep and tai chi reduce inflammation

Stress, including sleep disturbance, is a major contributor to inflammation in the body. Insomnia is associated with increased risk for depression, medical comorbidities, and mortality.

A study involving 123 older adults (55+) with insomnia randomly assigned them to one of 3 types of classes: cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, tai chi, or a sleep seminar (the control condition).

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia reduced insomnia symptoms and levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein, and reversed activation of molecular inflammatory signaling pathways. These benefits were maintained for 16 months.

Tai chi also reduced inflammation, reducing the expression of inflammation at the cellular level and reversing activation of inflammatory signaling pathways. It marginally reduced levels of C-reactive protein. Again, these benefits were maintained for 16 months.

Those participants assigned to the sleep seminar classes showed no significant changes in inflammatory markers, as expected.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/e-bsa110515.php

Irwin, M. R., Olmstead, R., Breen, E. C., Witarama, T., Carrillo, C., Sadeghi, N., … Cole, S. (2015). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Tai Chi Reverse Cellular and Genomic Markers of Inflammation in Late-Life Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Biological Psychiatry, 78(10), 721–729. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.01.010

Long sleep and high blood copper levels go hand in hand

A Finnish study involving 2,570 middle-aged men (42-60) has found that men sleeping less than 6 hours or more than 10 hours suffer from low-grade inflammation (indicated by levels of C-reactive protein) more often than persons sleeping 7-8 hours per night. Additionally, the serum levels of zinc, and the zinc/copper ration, were lowest in those sleeping less than 6 hours, while copper levels were highest in those sleeping more than 10 hours.

It has been suggested that high serum copper concentration is linked to pro-oxidative stress, found in many chronic diseases.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-09/uoef-lsa091415.php

Luojus, M. K., Lehto, S. M., Tolmunen, T., Elomaa, A.-P., & Kauhanen, J. (2015). Serum copper, zinc and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in short and long sleep duration in ageing men. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 32, 177–182. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2015.07.008

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