Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that as of 2020, afflicts more than 5.8 million Americans.
According to the CDC, the number of individuals living with Alzheimer’s doubles every 5 years after age 60.
But the truth is, this disease starts well before you hit age 60.
So if you want to prevent one of the leading causes of death, start implementing this simple strategy today.
Get More Sleep!
Getting more sleep is by far one of the best ways to prevent Alzheimer’s.
This has well been established by sleep expert Mathew Walker.
The bottom line is that sleep deprivation causes oxidative stress to the brain and the build up of what are called Amyloid Plaques.
Amyloid Plaques & Alzheimer’s
Amyloid plaques are evident in those with advanced Alzheimer’s.
And this study showed that just one night of sleep deprivation caused significantly increased levels of amyloid the next day.
But the cool thing is that there is evidence that sleeping causes a self cleansing of these amyloid proteins.
This schematic displays the “sewage system” that your brain uses to clear these toxins.
And ultimately deep sleep is required for this sewage system to work properly.
How Much Sleep Should You Get?
Sleep expert Matthew Walker recommends a non-negotiable 8 hour sleep opportunity.
You need the full 8 hours in order to transition through the various stages of sleep (REM + Non-REM Sleep).
You flip-flop between REM and Non-REM throughout the night.
And if you got just 6 hours instead of 8, you could actually be losing up to 70% of your REM sleep which occurs mostly in the second half of the night!
Bottom line is that you really need that 8 hour window to be fully rested and reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s.
As soon as I get my clients sleeping more each night, they feel like different people within a week.
It is such a simple fix but the dividends you yield are incredible when it comes to improving you health.
Don’t just take my word for it either.
Commit to getting 8 hours of sleep each night for just 1 week and I promise you will feel incredible.
Tips For Increasing Sleep Time
I always recommend that my clients start off gradually when it comes to increasing sleep time.
Look, I get it.
You have a busy family and work life and sleep is often thought of last.
But if you commit to increasing your sleep in just 30 minute increments, you will be amazed at how much it adds up over time.
Titrate your sleeping dose at a pace that feels sustainable.
You can’t expect to go from sleeping 4 hours a night to 8 immediately.
Give yourself the chance to compound your sleep time over a few weeks until you get to that optimal 8 hour period.
Stay Accountable
Sometimes you need just a little extra help when it comes to improving your health & fitness.
If you are looking for some more guidance, you can learn more about my coaching opportunities here.
I’ve helped hundreds of middle aged men and women completely transform their health through proper diet and exercise prescription.
It’s never too late to start making improvements to your health and you don’t want to wait until you are too old to start prioritizing your health.