Second Nature Care Blog

Insomnia Leads to Brain Atrophy

[fa icon="calendar'] Feb 19, 2020 11:30:00 AM / by Isadora Guggenheim

Tired woman suffering from insomnia and yawning - isolated

Is this you at night? Do you have a hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep?  

Over time, your brain is shrinking because of insomnia. Find out how to fix this.  

If your sleep quality is poor you might be creating a bigger problem over time. Brain atrophy. This gets worse with age and covers widespread brain regions.  

Researchers in Oslo, Norway looked at 147 people from 20 to 84 in a study that measured the time it took participants to fall asleep, how long they slept and sleep efficiency (percentage of time spent sleeping). 35% of the participants met criteria for poor sleep.  

Poor sleep quality was associated with smaller brain volume in the right superior frontal cortex of the brain. Shorter sleep duration, time actually spent asleep and increased time to fall asleep were all linked to this brain atrophy across frontal, temporal and parietal cortices in the brain.  

Poor sleep affects our memory, productivity, moods, hormones and general well-being.  We need stage 4 sleep to repair our brains and bodies.  

Here's my top list to improve your sleep

  • Set a consistent bedtime before 11 pm
  • Take Xymogen's Melatonin at 10:30 or 1/2 hour before bed
  • Make sure the room is cool and dark
  • Turn off and unplug all electrical devices
  • Charge your cell phone in another room

If you have sleep issues, call us and let's devise a smart sleep plan for you.  
Don't look like this. Over time your brain will shrink.  Get Healthy Today! 

Topics: Mood Disorders, Brain Health

Isadora Guggenheim

Written by Isadora Guggenheim

Isadora Guggenheim, ND, FNP, RN, MS, CNS, LMT, owner of Second Nature Naturopathic Care, LLC
For all appointments: Tel: 845 358-8385 Fax: 845 358-2963 drguggenheim@msn.com