Another Reason to Get Better Sleep
Sleep is a very important part of staying healthy. It's necessary for keeping our immune systems strong, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping ourselves happy, too. Now, current studies that have looked at the sleep habits of the elderly have also pointed out that proper sleep is a necessary part of being able to store and keep memories. Researchers in California have found new evidence that poor quality sleep increases the chances of suffering from brain deterioration. This is the first time that such evidence has been concretely pointed to and could be a big help in helping senior citizens to maintain optimal cognitive functioning levels.
Researchers are hoping that this link can be used to help improve the mental health of the elderly in the future.
Apparently the slow brain waves that are generated during periods of deep sleep play a large role in how memories function. Short term memories are stored in the hippocampus and long term memories reside within the prefrontal cortex. The transfer of memories from one section to the other takes place through slow brain waves and restorative sleep plays a big role in this type of brain activity.
One theory says that when we don't get enough deep sleep, memories stay in the hippocampus and then are overwritten by newer memories later on. This is a big hindrance to proper brain functioning and can lead to the memory loss that is s often associated with old age.
Many senior citizens have major problems with getting enough sleep at night, but this doesn't need to be just a part of getting older. There are many things that you can do to help yourself get more restful sleep each night, one of the most helpful things being exercise. This is a simple and completely natural way to get better sleep at night. Exercise also has many physical benefits, too, that can help you to boost your health in other ways.
Another natural solution is to take melatonin as a dietary supplement at night. This is a chemical that occurs naturally within the human body and causes us to feels sleepy. Taking this substance in pill form over the course of several days can boost melatonin levels in your body and help you start to fall asleep with much more ease.
As with any big change to your lifestyle, you should talk with a doctor first. They will be able to teach you how to improve your sleep habits safely and might even give you ideas that you haven't thought of before. Sleep is a very important part of maintaining optimum health levels. By working together with a professional, you can better your chances of staying healthy.
Researchers are hoping that this link can be used to help improve the mental health of the elderly in the future.
Apparently the slow brain waves that are generated during periods of deep sleep play a large role in how memories function. Short term memories are stored in the hippocampus and long term memories reside within the prefrontal cortex. The transfer of memories from one section to the other takes place through slow brain waves and restorative sleep plays a big role in this type of brain activity.
One theory says that when we don't get enough deep sleep, memories stay in the hippocampus and then are overwritten by newer memories later on. This is a big hindrance to proper brain functioning and can lead to the memory loss that is s often associated with old age.
Many senior citizens have major problems with getting enough sleep at night, but this doesn't need to be just a part of getting older. There are many things that you can do to help yourself get more restful sleep each night, one of the most helpful things being exercise. This is a simple and completely natural way to get better sleep at night. Exercise also has many physical benefits, too, that can help you to boost your health in other ways.
Another natural solution is to take melatonin as a dietary supplement at night. This is a chemical that occurs naturally within the human body and causes us to feels sleepy. Taking this substance in pill form over the course of several days can boost melatonin levels in your body and help you start to fall asleep with much more ease.
As with any big change to your lifestyle, you should talk with a doctor first. They will be able to teach you how to improve your sleep habits safely and might even give you ideas that you haven't thought of before. Sleep is a very important part of maintaining optimum health levels. By working together with a professional, you can better your chances of staying healthy.