A team of researchers from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria analyzed medical studies focused on dreampublished during the last quarter of a century, to determine how and how much it affects the brain sleep deprivation.
In a world with high-demand routines, between work responsibilities and life itself, it is common for many people to stay up late or not get enough sleep.
However, as is already known, lack of sleep takes its toll on our body in the short term. More and more scientific studies focus on these aspects to promote the prevention of cognitive decline and provide tools through dissemination.
The scientist Kehinde O. Adenijimain author of the article highlighted by the magazine IBR Neuroscience Reports, focused research on the effects of insomnia on the hippocampusthe area of the brain responsible for memorycapable of converting short-term memories into long-term memories.
He and his team of colleagues found that even relatively brief periods of sleep deprivation – such as a single night of insomnia– impair the ability to retain information and process thoughts clearly the next day.
«People are more forgetful, they have difficulty making decisions, managing their mood, and it is more difficult for them to address emotional problems,» the article stated.
Sleep deprivation and poor quality, a global problem
Lack of good rest was associated with negative effects on hippocampal cognitive function, toxin buildup, impairment of neural connections and regeneration, as well as brain inflammation, the same complications reflected in the experience of Alzheimer’s patients.
Researchers say even a single night of poor sleep, or none at all, could trigger the dangerous buildup of beta-amyloid and tau, toxic proteins related to the alteration of cognitive function.
Beyond its already established role in memory consolidation, the researchers indicated that «sleep deprivation represents an emerging public health problem globally,» and even more so in low- and middle-income regions, especially in Africa.
«Structural, socioeconomic and environmental factors contribute to poor sleep quality; there is evidence of a high prevalence of sleep disorders in adolescents and young adults Africans, driven by academic pressures, urbanization, psychosocial stress and low awareness of sleep health,» they detailed.
This new survey also seeks to be a call to raise awareness. «Although the relationship between sleep and memory has already been examined in a general way, very few studies have integrated it with the specific socioeconomic contexts of each region and of life cycle relevant to understudied populations, such as those in Africa,» they noted.
The researchers suggest that Without adequate sleep, hippocampal function deteriorates.which causes the accumulation of harmful waste.
Their conclusions indicate that the hippocampus is very sensitive to sleep loss. Sleep deprivation impairs synaptic plasticity, reduces neurogénesis and alters signaling neurotransmitters in the hippocampal circuits, producing memory deficits.
«Sleep deprivation profoundly alters memory, from encoding to retrieval, including consolidation, by modifying neurobiological mechanisms and impairing cognitive processes,» they detailed.
The teenage sleep crisis
Experts affirm that these results are an alarm signal for all ages, but they highlight two age groups that are the most worrying: on the one hand, adolescents, and on the other, older adults.
With advancing age, sleep becomes lighter, more fragmented and less efficient, with an increase in nighttime awakenings and total sleep time.
Aging alters sleep architecture and circadian rhythms, and comorbidities and medication use make sleep problems largely multifactorial.
«Chronic sleep deprivation in older people accelerates cognitive decline and may actively contribute to the onset and progression of dementias,» Adeniji said.
The basic recommendation of a good quality rest of between seven and nine hours per night was defined by professionals as «the best prevention» of brain health.
Regarding adolescents, the researchers highlighted that on average many they sleep less than four hours a nightthat is, half the recommended rest for their age group.
Newborns need to sleep between 14 and 17 hours a day until they are three months old; infants, from 4 to 11 months between 12 and 15 hours; small children 1 to 2 years old, between 11 and 14 hours; children from 3 to 5 years old, between 10 and 13 hours; and children between 6 and 13 years old, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
On the other hand, adolescents usually need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep. Young and middle-aged adults 7 to 9 hours, and older adults 7 to 8 hours per night.
«The effects of sleep deprivation are especially worrying during adolescence as it is a period of greater neural plasticitywhen chronic lack of sleep caused by academic pressure, social demands, and prolonged screen use can impair learning, emotional regulation, and long-term cognitive outcomes,» they listed.
«The vulnerability of adolescents to chronic sleep restriction affects their cognitive development, emotional regulation and their long-term mental health,» they emphasized.
The nap, an alternative «neural recovery time»
The researchers assured that the short daytime napslasting between 10 to 30 minutes, can reverse many of these adverse effects in people of all ages, restoring memory, mood and attention span.
In the case of adolescents, taking regular naps of 30 to 60 minutes a day can improve their attention, non-verbal reasoning, and spatial memory.
In any case, they emphasized that nothing offers more cognitive advantages than restful sleep as a life routine, to improve learning outcomes, mental health, and long-term brain resilience.
«Although naps can serve as a key time of neuronal recovery, every effort should be made to sleep the recommended hours per night for each age group,» they clarified.
Some tips to sleep well
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule: Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day to help regulate your body clock, even on weekends.
- Establish a relaxing routine Before bed: Turn off bright lights and screens at least an hour before bedtime.
- Los deep breathing exercises They can help reduce stress: they activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body, and stimulate the production of melatonin, an essential hormone for falling asleep.
- Keep the bedroom as dark and quiet as possible, at a comfortable temperature.
