Why Sleeping a Full Eight Hours Matters More Than Ever

?I?ll sleep when I?m dead,? goes the common refrain. And indeed — many Americans sleep fewer hours every week than what is actually recommended. While you may be familiar with the common problems associated with less sleep — fatigue, poor immune response, and even heart troubles — you may be surprised to discover that many studies are now showing that there might be a link between losing sleep, and neurological disorders that develop later in life — such as dementia. In fact, it might be the right time to visit your local doctor or urgent care clinic if you need advice or help in sleeping better, and for longer. Approximately 60% of urgent care clinics have a wait time of under 15 minutes — a useful service if you need quick advice on sleeping better.

Why a Bad Sleep Cycle is an Urgent Matter

?Our findings point to REM sleep as a predictor of dementia,? said Dr. Matthew Pase, who helped lead the study conducted by the University of Boston. The REM cycle is when one?s body enters a period of deep sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) occurs, typically as the individual experiences dreams. It?s likely that important repairs are done to damaged brain tissues while this is happening. Researchers following study participants over a number of years found that less REM sleep contributed to an 9% increase in risk for dementia, and the participants were 8% more likely to develop Alzheimers. Although about 70% of Americans experience dizziness annually, it’s sometimes discovered that confusion, dizziness and irritation are signs of early onset dementia.

What About X-rays and Lab Services?

Can X-rays detect the type of damage being done? In most cases, the answer will be no. Issues that affect brain and brain development are typically happening at a microscopic level. A visit to a walk in clinic to receive sleep aids — such as noise blockers, a prescription for sleeping pills, or help in relieving aches and pains that keep patients up at night — is likely to be more effective at combating this problem. It’s important to nip this issue in the bud — by the time x-rays and/or MRIs can visually map out the brain atrophying and increased fluid, it’s too late to stop the disease from progressing.

In the end, it?s more sleep — and deeper sleep — leads to fewer diagnosis of devastating issues that stem from the brain. There?s a flip side, though: their research also uncovered that individuals who slept more than nine hours every night, on a consistent basis, were twice as likely to develop dementia. It might seem like a catch 22, but the key to better sleep is to make sure your sleep is less interrupted, and to aim for the eight hours of sleep mark.