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Sleep Is Irreplaceable for the Recovery of the Brain

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Jan 21, 2021
  • 2 min read

Neuroscience News January 7, 2021


Sleep is ubiquitous in animals and humans and vital for healthy functioning. Thus, sleep after training improves performance on various tasks in comparison to equal periods of active wakefulness.

However, it has been unclear so far whether this is due to an active refinement of neural connections or merely due to the absence of novel input during sleep. Now researchers at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg have succeeded in showing that sleep is more than rest for improving performance.

The findings, which were published in the journal SLEEP on January 6, 2021, provide important information for planning periods of intensive learning or training.

“Sleep is irreplaceable for the recovery of the brain. It cannot be replaced by periods of rest for improved performance. The state of the brain during sleep is unique,” says Prof. Dr. Christoph Nissen, who headed the study as research group leader at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg and is now working at the University of Bern, Switzerland.

In earlier studies, Nissen and his team provided evidence for the notion that sleep has a dual function for the brain: Unused connections are weakened and relevant connections are strengthened.


In the current study, the researchers conducted a visual learning experiment with 66 participants. First, all participants were trained distinguishing certain patterns. Afterwards, one group was awake watching videos or playing table tennis. The second group slept for one hour and the third group stayed awake, but was in a darkened room without external stimuli and under controlled sleep laboratory conditions.


However, it has been unclear so far whether this is due to an active refinement of neural connections or merely due to the absence of novel input during sleep. Image is in the public domain


Not only did the group that slept perform significantly better than the group that was awake and active, but the sleep group also performed significantly better than the group that was awake, but deprived from any external stimuli. The improvement in performance was linked to typical deep-sleep activity of the brain, which has an important function for the connectivity of nerve cells.

“This shows that it is sleep itself that makes the difference,” says co-study leader Prof. Dr. Dieter Riemann, head of the sleep laboratory at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. In control experiments, the Freiburg researchers ensured that fatigue and other general factors had no influence on the results.

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Commentaires


We are already into June! I am not moving as fast as time apparently. I am just preparing for the “lazy, hazy days of summer”.

June is anything but lazy.  This is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month.  This month brings to light the value of living a brain healthy lifestyle, the importance of early detection, and the support that is available for those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

The FDA approved the blood test that detects Alzheimer’s disease and identifies what stage of the disease is present.  These tests will be available in doctor’s offices.  What does this mean?  Diagnosing Alzheimer’s was a bit of hit or miss because the methods of diagnosis were complicated and not definitive.  The primary care doctor had to figure out what specialist to refer the patient and lose more diagnostic time trying to get them an appointment.  Determining how far the disease had progressed was even more of a challenge.  With this blood test, immediate results and staging allows immediate, appropriate care to be initiated.  In the early stages of the disease a person can maintain a higher quality of life for a longer period.

The Alzheimer’s Association National Event – Outshine the Darkness of Alzheimer’s.  The Longest Day is celebrated on June 21, the summer solstice.

This is a global effort to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, with participants choosing activities they love to do while fundraising.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15) promotes a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by highlighting the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

National Safety Month includes safety measures for seniors – fall prevention, safe medication use, home safety modifications. Check with you local Area Agency on Aging for information.

 

Over the past few years, I have had a friend, Carol Meyer, who has been a part of My Boomer Brain.  Carol has her own publication, InFlow that is published quarterly.  It is amazing.  InFlow Magazine - Your Digital Dose of Inspiration is just that.  She has chosen some of my blogs to publish in InFlow and I am grateful.  She wants me to extend an invitation to look at InFlow for yourself.  Here is the link and access information:

https://inflowmagazine.gumroad.com/l/Issue11

Scroll to ‘Name a fair price’

Enter ‘0’ in the ‘name a fair price’ field to get it for free

Click ‘I want this’ and follow the prompts

 

With summer just around the corner, I’m booking online and in-person presentations for July.  Topics are varied and topical, ranging from memory care, the aging brain, brain health, cognitive resilience, and many more.  If you are interested in organizing an event or want to discuss how brain health can be integrated into your community or organization, please reach out to me directly at patricia@myboomerbrain.com

 

Finally, if you are looking for more in-depth strategies and a roadmap to better health, I encourage you to explore my book, The Boomer Brain. It is a resource designed for anyone over 40 who wants to understand how lifestyle choices impact cognitive aging and what you can do to keep your brain sharp for years to come.  Find it on Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1962133613

 

Slow down your time and enjoy the laid-back pace of summer. 

Pat

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