Poor Sleep linked to aging the brain & more

As most of you may have already suspected, the results of several recent studies have indicated a relationship to sleep with cognitive functions in humans such as reported in this article in a recent issue of US News and World report: Poor Sleep May Age Your Brain. Furthermore, it appears that both too little sleep or too much sleep may be linked to CNS disease states.

Do a little research of your own and, using your understanding of nervous tissue and the CNS, tell us why you think sleep patterns have such dramatic effects upon cognitive functions. Be sure to include a citation for any sources outside your textbook that you use.

Discussion 8

Based on my research and my own experience, I think sleep patterns can have a dramatic effect upon cognitive functions. When I myself get too little sleep, I am unable to think clearly. When I get too much sleep, I am not revived and am sleepy all day. I feel that the sleep did not revive as it should because I actually overslept. In my research, I found supporting documentation based on my experience. I read about how are brain produces brain support cells and detoxifies while we are sleeping. The support cells are known as oligodendrocytes, these support cells produce myelin that wraps around neurons and allows electrical impulses to move rapidly between them, similar to how insulation works around electrical wires. This helps us to awake and feel refreshed and remember things better.

In the article below references a new study by the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) that too little sleep (six hours or less) and too much sleep (10 hours or more) with chronic diseases in adults aged 45 years and older. The study involved more than 54,000 participants in 14 states in the US. Both short and long sleepers reported a higher prevalence of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and anxiety, compared to optimal sleepers who got seven to nine hours of shut-eye on average. In conclusion, Dr Safwan Badr, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says “Sleeping longer doesn’t mean that you’re sleeping well. It is important to understand that both the quality and quantity of sleep impact your health.”