How Sleep Impacts Brain Health

Most people have heard how sleep is crucial for good brain health. Sleep helps with memory consolidation and cognitive functioning. A solid night of sleep can be elusive for some, especially women in the perimenopause and menopause stages.

Did you know sleep aids in toxin removal through glymphatic washing? This is critical to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding the four stages of sleep and how each stage impacts how you feel and function the next day is not just crucial; it’s empowering. This knowledge gives you the power to take control of your sleep quality, and tracking your sleep with tools such as a sleep journal (link to free sleep diary template by the Sleep Doctor Michael Breus), Apple iWatch, OuraRing, etc. will help you in your sleep journey.

The 4 Stages of Sleep

Every night, people go through four stages of sleep: awake time (how long it takes to fall asleep and the number of times you wake in the middle of the night), light or non-REM sleep, deep sleep, and REM (dream) sleep. Each stage is essential to the body and brain’s ability to repair and restore.

According to Sleep Doctor Michael Breus, PhD and author of The Power of When: Discover Your Chronotype and the Best Time to Eat Lunch, Ask for a Raise, Have Sex, Write a Novel, Take Your Meds, and More, “a growing body of research indicates poor quality sleep and insufficient sleep is linked to greater amounts of beta-amyloid and tau proteins in the brain. One study released in 2017 found that in healthy, middle-aged adults, disruptions to slow wave sleep were associated with increased levels of beta-amyloid proteins.”

Awake Time: People wake during the night and sometimes are not even conscious of having woken up. How you feel in the morning will determine if this is a cause for concern. If you are feeling fatigued, it could be a sign of an underlying health problem, such as sleep apnea, and needs to be explored further with your physician.

Light Sleep or non-REM Sleep: This period is when your muscles relax (and you might jerk awake), your heart rate decreases, your body temperature lowers, breathing slows down, and it is easier to be awakened. Approximately 50% of your sleep time comprises light/non-REM sleep. This stage helps the brain to codify memories, improve communication through bursts of electrical activity, regulate brain wave activity, and more.

Deep Sleep: This stage sees the body’s recovery and repair processes for your brain, systems, and muscles. Deep sleep occurs early in the night, usually within an hour of falling asleep. During this stage, your brain has delta or long, slow waves, making it difficult to wake up without feeling groggy.

REM Sleep: In REM sleep, you enter a paralytic state to prevent your body from acting out your dreams. Breathing and heart rate increases, and vivid dreams may occur. This stage helps your brain with problem-solving, memory, and learning. “Essentially, REM is creating a revised mind-wide web of associations,” explains Matthew Walker, Ph.D., author of Why We Sleep. “We make connections during REM sleep.” There is a disorder called REM sleep behavior disorder, where the brain fails to properly suppress muscle activity during REM sleep, allowing people to physically enact their dreams, often with sudden movements, vocalizations, or even violent actions; this can be a sign of a potential neurological issue and should be evaluated by a doctor (read Idiopathic REM Sleep Behavior Disorder in the development of Parkinson’s Disease for further information). I mention this disorder because my father exhibited this behavior and later in life had Parkinsonian dementia called Lewy Body dementia. My mother often commented how he would jump out of bed, shouting out the social security and ID information he would have given in the Army. At that time, this disorder may not have been known, or she or he may have failed to mention it to his physician. This personal experience, witnessing the impact of sleep disorders on a loved one, has driven my passion for understanding and promoting healthy sleep habits.

7 Sleep Secrets for Optimal Health

Most people have heard about sleeping in a colder room, complete darkness, stopping electronics an hour before bedtime, taking the TV out of the bedroom, and more. However, your sleep depends on how you live out your entire day to set the stage for sleep. Let’s explore 7 sleep secrets you may not know:

TIP 1 – Light sources and circadian rhythm: When you first awake in the morning, stepping out in the sun for 2-10 minutes is critical. This helps to reset your circadian rhythm. If the weather does not permit you or you work a shift, you can use other sources during the day. My favorite hack is a Solshine floor lamp (use code HEALTHYLIFE for 10% off your purchase). This lamp, designed to mimic natural sunlight, is an excellent alternative for resetting your circadian rhythm. From Solshine’s website: “SOL bioBulbs help regulate brain chemistry and circadian rhythms that control appetite, energy, mood, sleep, libido, have to sleep d and much more. SOLshine is the fullest-spectrum nutritional light source that includes ‘visible & invisible’ light wavelengths akin to natural sunlight. SOLshine emits “balanced” full-spectrum light (FSL) based on an innovative formula unlike any other SAD bright light or FSL.” Sitting under this lamp feels as good as a cup of coffee. It helps give me the energy to start my day, and it turns off my melatonin production to start another day.

TIP 2 – Hydration, especially in the morning: Hydration, especially in the morning, is a key factor in maintaining your body’s health. When you wake up, your body is dehydrated, so beginning your day with something to hydrate your body instead of coffee is a caring step toward your health. Michael Breus, The Sleep Doctor, suggests that waiting to drink your first cup of coffee for 90 minutes can be helpful so you are fueling the cortisol hormone responsible for waking you up in the morning. Stop caffeine by 2:00 PM, as coffee has a half-life of 6-8 hours, so roughly half will be out of your system by 10:00 PM and can contribute to your inability to fall asleep. I like to start my morning with 16 – 32 ounces of water and mix in LMNT or Dry Water electrolytes. Many times, people need to hydrate more during the day. It might seem counterintuitive, but drinking less water can increase nighttime urination due to more concentrated urine irritating your bladder. Insufficient water intake during the day can cause your body to retain fluid, especially your legs, known as peripheral edema. This retained fluid is reabsorbed into your bloodstream when you lie down, and the kidneys interpret this as increased fluid volume, which produces more urine.

TIP 3 – Follow the 3, 2, 1 method: Quite simply, don’t eat less than 3 hours before bedtime, don’t drink less than 2 hours before bedtime, and have a winddown routine an hour before bedtime. I’ll add that Michael Breus, The Sleep Doctor, suggests no exercising 4 hours before bedtime.

TIP 4 – Learn your chronotype’s bedtime and wake time: My OuraRing eventually gave me this data after I had tracked for a while, but you can take a chronotype quiz. Once I worked on my ideal bedtime and awake time, I spent less time trying to fall asleep and usually slept through the night.

TIP 5 – How old is your mattress (and pillow)? It might be time to replace it if it is over seven years old. If you’d like to purchase a new mattress, you can check out this blog post by Michael Breus about choosing the best one. Many people need to learn that different types of pillows depend on your sleep position, and if your pillow is more than 2 years old, it’s time to replace it as it typically only lasts 1 to 2 years. If you are still determining the age of your pillow, ask yourself if it has noticeable lumps, flattening, or odor or if you have neck pain upon awakening. So there are back sleeper pillows, which are very thin. Next, you have stomach sleeper pillows; however, many stomach sleepers don’t even use a pillow. Then, side sleeper pillows are much thicker to compensate for the space between your ear and the side of your shoulder. That way, your head isn’t positioned to the right, causing pain in the middle of the night. 

TIP 6 – Check your hormone levels: Many know how vital hormone health is to good sleep hygiene. This includes estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, Vitamin D (yes, it’s a hormone, not a vitamin level), melatonin, leptin, and ghrelin. Even your iron and magnesium levels can impact a restful night of sleep. Check with your doctor before starting any supplement (this link saves you 15% on your purchases and free shipping on orders of $50+ at FullScript), as it can be contraindicated with any medications you might be taking. Melatonin is not a supplement that helps you fall asleep; it primarily regulates circadian rhythm. The U.S. and Australia are currently the only countries allowing it to be sold as over-the-counter. You must have a prescription if you live in other parts of the world, such as Europe.

TIP 7 – Type of light before bed: I purchased a flickering gamma light called a Beacon40 after learning more about its impact on brain health and insomnia. It is an easy set-up and relatively easy to use. I plugged it in, set it up in my periphery, turn it on, and do whatever activity I like (reading, walking on my treadmill, watching TV, and more). I use it nightly and have seen the difference it has made in my ability to stay asleep. From the Beacon40 website: In a double-blind clinical trial published in March 2024, researchers found that after six months of daily exposure to 40Hz stimulation, participants experienced: 

• Slowed functional decline by 77%
• 76% reduction in cognitive decline
• 69% reduction of brain atrophy, as measured by whole brain volume via MRI 

To wrap up, these seven sleep secrets offer a holistic approach to improving your sleep quality that goes beyond the usual advice. By paying attention to light exposure, hydration, timing of activities, chronotype, sleep environment, hormone levels, and pre-bed light therapy, you can create a comprehensive sleep strategy tailored to your needs. Remember, good sleep is not just about what you do right before bed but how you live your entire day. Implementing these tips may take some time and experimentation, but the potential benefits to your sleep, brain health, and overall well-being are well worth the effort.

References

Solving Sleep Issues in Kids with ADHD | Rising Above ABA. https://www.risingaboveaba.com/autism-blog/solving-sleep-issues-in-kids-with-adhd

The Science Behind 40 Hz | https://beacon40.com/40hz-science/

I am not a licensed medical professional, and the information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only. The content on this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. 

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