A recent peer review article showed relationship of Frequent Sleeping Pill Use Linked to Increased Dementia Risk. As bad as not getting good sleep is, the research here is showing a very strong link between sleeping medications and cognitive impairment.
As much as the evidence points to strong links, the authors of the study note there needs to be more information on the mechanisms of the association.
The study consisted of over 3,000 subjects, predominantly older adults between 70 and 79 years of age, without dementia. These were broken down to those rarely using the sleeping drugs (2 to 4 times a month). Those taking medication often (5 to 15 times a month). And those always taking the sleeping medication (16 to 30 times a month).
Older adults who reported taking sleep medications "often" or "almost always" were 43% more likely to develop dementia than those who never or rarely used sleep medications. Participants reporting frequent use had a 79% higher dementia risk overall.
Over your lifespan, sleep has been shown to be a marker of brain health and health generally. Whether sleep is directly related to Alzheimer’s disease because of excess accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau proteins, or a marker of more general nonspecific health, is yet to be identified through additional research.
I’ve often made mention that sleep deprivation could be considered one of the most effective but slow forms of torture. Interruptions in sleep can have a major impact on our performance. This can spill over into how we cope with various stressors. The most rested often fail to cave in to various circumstantial stressful situations.
Years ago I worked for a transit company and drove what was called the extra board. This meant I had to take whatever run was presented at rotating shifts. Being in control of a big bus full of passengers in Portland traffic is no place to be when not rested. Reflex time as well as proper decision making has to be excellent. Seeing the huge growth of traffic over the last 35-40 years in Portland makes me question what my blood pressure would be if I were still driving city transit. It’s been long enough I would have been retired by now, but in what kind of health.
Stress caused by lack of sleep accelerates the aging process. The increase in sleep apnea makes me question if this is something which has been a problem for a long time and only recently been identified, or is it something which has been coming on due to the constant deterioration of the value of our foods and the dramatic increase in sugar consumption.
In 2012, a British Medical journal showed that four sleeping pills a year triples your risk of dying, and 18 pills quadruples your risk of dying. Ambien increased the risk of death to 5.7 times and Restoril 6.6 times. With those statistics, it’s questionable which is worse, not sleeping or taking the drugs. I’ll opt for nutritional help along with safe herbal supports.
When addressing the issue of poor sleep, enough can’t be said about the condition of the gut and digestion. Serotonin is produced largely in the gut, and is the precursor of melatonin, the sleep neurotransmitter. The health of the digestive tract goes all the way from the mouth and nostrils to the anus. What happens in one of these areas affects the whole. When I think about the soft palate collapsing and obstructing the airway in sleep apnea, this can be largely connected to an unhealthy gut.
In having proper serotonin production, adequate protein must be consumed so the amino acid tryptophan can be used in production of melatonin. Years ago, it was common for people with stress issues and sleep challenges to go to a health food store and purchase tryptophan. This was the case until the FDA put a ban on the sale of tryptophan saying there was a tainted batch out there. This happened about the time the first serotonin re-uptake inhibitor came on the market. Here is where I’m convinced the FDA was totally in bed with the pharmaceutical companies.
Now we see where 5 hydroxy tryptophan is being widely used to deal with depression, anxiety and sleep. This is a far safer alternative when it comes to medicating for sleep. Obviously, addressing the cause is what must be considered first. If digestion is messed up, deal with it. If you take acid blockers, you are sabotaging yourself as this is counter productive when it comes to protein digestion and utilization.
Avoid starches in the evening as this can spike insulin, causing blood sugar to plummet when you’re either trying to fall asleep or staying asleep. The response will be cortisol and adrenalin which cause wakefulness. Eat a good protein and healthy fat dinner. Insure digestion and sleep like a baby.
As much as the evidence points to strong links, the authors of the study note there needs to be more information on the mechanisms of the association.
The study consisted of over 3,000 subjects, predominantly older adults between 70 and 79 years of age, without dementia. These were broken down to those rarely using the sleeping drugs (2 to 4 times a month). Those taking medication often (5 to 15 times a month). And those always taking the sleeping medication (16 to 30 times a month).
Older adults who reported taking sleep medications "often" or "almost always" were 43% more likely to develop dementia than those who never or rarely used sleep medications. Participants reporting frequent use had a 79% higher dementia risk overall.
Over your lifespan, sleep has been shown to be a marker of brain health and health generally. Whether sleep is directly related to Alzheimer’s disease because of excess accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau proteins, or a marker of more general nonspecific health, is yet to be identified through additional research.
I’ve often made mention that sleep deprivation could be considered one of the most effective but slow forms of torture. Interruptions in sleep can have a major impact on our performance. This can spill over into how we cope with various stressors. The most rested often fail to cave in to various circumstantial stressful situations.
Years ago I worked for a transit company and drove what was called the extra board. This meant I had to take whatever run was presented at rotating shifts. Being in control of a big bus full of passengers in Portland traffic is no place to be when not rested. Reflex time as well as proper decision making has to be excellent. Seeing the huge growth of traffic over the last 35-40 years in Portland makes me question what my blood pressure would be if I were still driving city transit. It’s been long enough I would have been retired by now, but in what kind of health.
Stress caused by lack of sleep accelerates the aging process. The increase in sleep apnea makes me question if this is something which has been a problem for a long time and only recently been identified, or is it something which has been coming on due to the constant deterioration of the value of our foods and the dramatic increase in sugar consumption.
In 2012, a British Medical journal showed that four sleeping pills a year triples your risk of dying, and 18 pills quadruples your risk of dying. Ambien increased the risk of death to 5.7 times and Restoril 6.6 times. With those statistics, it’s questionable which is worse, not sleeping or taking the drugs. I’ll opt for nutritional help along with safe herbal supports.
When addressing the issue of poor sleep, enough can’t be said about the condition of the gut and digestion. Serotonin is produced largely in the gut, and is the precursor of melatonin, the sleep neurotransmitter. The health of the digestive tract goes all the way from the mouth and nostrils to the anus. What happens in one of these areas affects the whole. When I think about the soft palate collapsing and obstructing the airway in sleep apnea, this can be largely connected to an unhealthy gut.
In having proper serotonin production, adequate protein must be consumed so the amino acid tryptophan can be used in production of melatonin. Years ago, it was common for people with stress issues and sleep challenges to go to a health food store and purchase tryptophan. This was the case until the FDA put a ban on the sale of tryptophan saying there was a tainted batch out there. This happened about the time the first serotonin re-uptake inhibitor came on the market. Here is where I’m convinced the FDA was totally in bed with the pharmaceutical companies.
Now we see where 5 hydroxy tryptophan is being widely used to deal with depression, anxiety and sleep. This is a far safer alternative when it comes to medicating for sleep. Obviously, addressing the cause is what must be considered first. If digestion is messed up, deal with it. If you take acid blockers, you are sabotaging yourself as this is counter productive when it comes to protein digestion and utilization.
Avoid starches in the evening as this can spike insulin, causing blood sugar to plummet when you’re either trying to fall asleep or staying asleep. The response will be cortisol and adrenalin which cause wakefulness. Eat a good protein and healthy fat dinner. Insure digestion and sleep like a baby.
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