I’ve been reading a book entitled “Regain Your Brain” by Peggy Sarlin.  The tag line for this book is “Powerful New Scientific Discoveries That Give you Back a Youthful Mind.” The first chapter deals with the issue of sleep deprivation and its association with dementia and Alzheimers. I want to share some great information from this book and what we can do on a proactive basis to protect ourselves as much as possible from these diseases. There is still so much we don’t know about these conditions, and I certainly don’t pretend to be an authority. However, it occurs to me that we can take precautions and make some practical choices that could stave off the debilitating long term effects of a variety of health issues.

According to the National Center on Sleep Disorders, an estimated 70 million Americans have sleep problems, and the most common cause of memory loss is lack of sleep.

I’ve learned there are four stages of sleep referred to collectively as a cycle and that it’s important for our bodies to consistently move through each stage to fully reap the healing benefits of quality sleep. A cycle consists of stages 1, 2, 3 (non-REM) and REM (rapid eye movement). Each stage lasts five to fifteen minutes. Thus each cycle lasts about ninety minutes. On average, our bodies move through four to five cycles each night, and the entire cycle has specific restorative powers.

One of the most interesting things I found about this pattern of restoration is the part it plays in a daily nap. It’s suggested we limit that nap to no more than about twenty minutes. To do otherwise, we not only risk being able to fall asleep at night, but it hampers our ability to fully appreciate the restorative qualities available to us in a deep sleep state. A short power nap is said to boost our memory, cognitive skills, creativity, and energy level. It’s also touted to be a way to treat sleep deprivation.  Keeping it short is the key.