What is dementia?
A group of symptoms connected to a persistent deterioration in cognitive function are referred to as dementia. This debilitating ailment comes in a variety of forms, with Lewy body dementia ranking second after Alzheimer's disease in terms of prevalence. It is brought on by the buildup of Lewy bodies, or protein deposits, in the nerve cells of the parts of the brain responsible for thought, memory, and movement.
Sleep symptom connected to dementia risk
Everyone occasionally has a difficult time falling asleep, whether it be because they just can't sleep or because they wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. On the other hand, if your partner or roommates frequently complain that you are kicking or shouting when you are fast asleep, it could be an indication of dementia.
Why does kicking and screaming happen during sleep?
People with dementia may have difficulties interpreting complicated emotions or experiences from prior events due to memory loss or cognitive decline linked with illness progression. Due to the fact that these memories become more tangible during sleep phases like REM sleep, when dreaming happens most frequently, these people may try to communicate physically rather than verbally.
What happens during REM sleep?
REM sleep, one of the five stages of sleep, typically begins 90 minutes after you fall asleep. Sleep is not as deep when you enter REM sleep since brain activity increases once more during this stage. The levels of activity are similar to when you are awake. Because of this, REM sleep is when vivid adventurous, or even strange dreams occur.
Connection between sleep and dementia
Even while many older folks have trouble sleeping, people with dementia frequently struggle more. Up to 25% of adults with mild to moderate dementia and 50% of people with severe dementia may experience sleep disruption. As dementia worsens, sleep difficulties tend to get worse as well.
The takeaway
The Mayo Clinic claims that Lewy body dementia can cause rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder, which causes you to start vocally and physically acting out vivid, frequently unpleasant dreams. The people might act similarly when dreaming, such as chatting out loud in bed or moving as if they were doing something connected to the dream they are now having. Therefore, this sleep habit is being linked to the possibility of dementia risk.