If you’ve been neglecting good sleep for other trivial activities, this research will make you rethink your priorities. While there’s no dearth of the merits of deep sleep, scientists have even found evidence that a lack of deep sleep may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
A study published in PLOS Biology suggested that deep sleep actually helps clear toxic proteins related to Alzheimer’s disease from the brain.
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The clearance activity was found to be weaker in the brains of people who had a higher risk of cognitive decline, said scientists.
The 2021 study of over 118 participants adds to a growing body of evidence confirming the relationship between sleep and brain health. In particular, we are now learning that an absence of deep sleep may have a significant relationship with the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
As an easy self-check, experts say that if you often wake up feeling exhausted, it may be a sign that you’re not getting the right amount of deep sleep.
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