One More Step Toward Solving The Sleep & Alzheimer's Puzzle

Short Wave

NPR

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4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 29 October 2020

⏱️ 10 minutes

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Summary

We know that people with Alzheimer's often have sleep problems. But does it work the other way? Do problems with sleep set the stage for this degenerative brain disease?

NPR correspondent Jon Hamilton introduces us to some scientists looking into that connection in this updated report on the key role deep sleep may play in maintaining brain health and protecting the brain against Alzheimer's.

Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia . Email the show at [email protected].

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:05.0	Maddie Sifai here with NPR Science correspondent John Hamilton. Hi John.
0:09.1	Hey Maddie.
0:09.9	Okay, so you are our in-house sleep reporter.
0:13.3	I am, and I am here today with an update on that episode we did last year about sleep
0:18.6	and Alzheimer's disease.
0:20.1	That's the episode about whether all of us sleep deprived people are more likely to get
0:24.8	Alzheimer's.
0:25.7	That's the one, yep.
0:27.0	Okay, great.
0:28.0	Our audience is going to love this update, John, because it is still one of our most popular
0:31.9	episodes of all time.
0:34.1	So are you saying that there's an answer to that question now?
0:37.9	Well, maybe not a final answer, but there is some new research suggesting that bad sleep
0:43.2	really does speed up some of the brain changes associated with Alzheimer's.
0:46.9	John, that sounds like bad news for insomniacs and podcasos.
0:50.5	Yeah, sorry, Maddie.
0:52.2	But the sleep researchers tell me that even people who aren't getting enough sleep now,
0:57.1	it's not too late for them to change their ways.
0:59.2	So today in the show, we revisit the connection between sleep and Alzheimer's and bring you
1:04.4	the latest update.
1:06.0	Okay, John.
	...

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