Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention and Your Sleep: 3 Ways to Lower Your Risk
Alzheimer’s disease, sometimes called senile dementia, is a progressive condition that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It usually starts small, like forgetting little things, but over time, it worsens and interferes with everyday life.
When my dad first started showing signs of Alzheimer’s, it was subtle—he’d forget little things we had just talked about or mispronounce words in a way that felt off. At first, we brushed it aside, but within just a few years, everything changed by the time he was 66. He couldn’t recognize anyone except my mom. Even basic things, like eating or getting through daily tasks, became impossible without help.
Watching someone you love go through that is absolutely heartbreaking. It’s something that stays with you. But it also opened my eyes and pushed me to understand more about this harsh disease and what we can do to try and prevent it.
What Happens in the Brain with Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease starts with a buildup of amyloid-beta plaques in the brain. These plaques damage the connections between neurons—the places where brain cells communicate—and, over time, they cause nerve cells to die. This is what leads to the memory loss and cognitive decline we associate with the disease.
The causes of plaque buildup are pretty complex and depend on a lot of factors, but from what I’ve learned, inflammation seems to be a common thread in most cases.
When we think of inflammation, we usually picture joint pain or swelling, right? But what surprised me is how much it impacts brain health, too—and we don’t often talk about it. Learning to understand and manage this kind of inflammation can make a big difference when it comes to preventing or managing Alzheimer’s.
The Five Types of Alzheimer’s Disease
Dr. Dale Bredesen, a leading expert in Alzheimer’s research, has identified five different subtypes of the disease, each linked to specific triggers. Years ago, I came across this in his book The End of Alzheimer’s Program, and it highlights how important it is to tackle the different underlying causes if we want to focus on prevention.
Inflammatory (Hot): This one’s all about chronic inflammation—things like pathogens, an imbalanced gut microbiome, or other underlying issues that keep the body on high alert.
Atrophic (Cold): Here, it’s about missing the essentials. Nutrients like vitamin D, or hormones like insulin and sex hormones, play a huge role in maintaining the brain’s 500 trillion synaptic connections (wow, right?). When they’re out of balance, trouble starts.
Glycotoxic (Sweet): Poor blood sugar control and insulin resistance are at the heart of this. With so many people (around 80 million in the U.S.!) dealing with these issues, it’s a growing concern. That’s why Alzheimer's is called the “diabetes of the brain” or “type 3 diabetes (T3D).
Vascular (Pale): This one hits close to home for anyone with cardiovascular risks. Poor circulation means less blood flow to the brain, which can have a significant impact.
Traumatic (Dazed): If you’ve ever had a head injury, you might relate to this. Past trauma can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s later on.
These five categories help me understand this disease’s root causes. It gives me hope that by addressing these areas, healing could be more straightforward, even with such a complex disease.
3 Key Approaches to Prevent Alzheimer’s
When it comes to preventing Alzheimer’s, what works depends on your unique needs. That said, I always tell my patients that reducing inflammation and supporting overall brain health are key. Here are three strategies.
1. Prioritize Quality Sleep
Sleep isn’t just about rest—it’s when your brain gets to work cleaning itself, clearing out toxic proteins like amyloid-beta. Without enough restorative sleep, this process gets interrupted, which can leave your brain more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.
Here’s what’s worked for me and my patients when it comes to improving sleep:
Sleep Healing Solutions: I often recommend functional medicine approaches like balancing hormones, improving gut health, or reducing stress. Acupuncture helps regulate the nervous system so you can settle in a nice restful sleep.
Oxygen Monitoring: I’ve found that undiagnosed sleep apnea is surprisingly common. Tools like continuous oxygen monitors or a simple sleep study can make all the difference.
What’s fascinating is that the same issues causing sleep trouble—like inflammation, imbalanced blood sugar, or toxin exposure—are also linked to Alzheimer’s. Addressing these root causes can improve your sleep and boost your overall health.
2. Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check
I’ve seen firsthand with my father how blood sugar imbalances can cause inflammation and even contribute to Alzheimer’s.
In fact, Dr. Bredesen notes that nearly all Alzheimer’s patients deal with some level of insulin resistance, either in the brain or throughout the body.
Here’s what I recommend to manage blood sugar:
Track It: Tools like continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are a game-changer. I use them with my patients, and the results can be life-changing. They let you see how your body responds to different foods in real-time.
Adjust Your Diet: A modified ketogenic or paleo diet works wonders to stabilize blood sugar and reduce inflammation.
Many patients notice better focus and more energy by keeping their blood sugar balanced. Read more about blood sugar balance and your sleep here.
3. Let’s Talk About Toxins and Chronic Infections
Toxins and chronic infections can hang around in your body for years, quietly causing inflammation that affects your brain health. It’s not the acute type of infection that drives you to the E.R., but rather chronic infections that we are typically not aware of unless we look deeper with holistic medicine.
I’ve learned that identifying and dealing with these hidden troublemakers is crucial when protecting your mind.
Here are a few common culprits:
Heavy Metals: Things like mercury can build up in your system over time.
Environmental Toxins: Mold exposure is one that often gets missed but can seriously impact your brain.
Hidden Viruses: Certain viruses, like some from the herpes family, are even linked to Alzheimer’s.
This is where holistic, functional medicine shines. With thorough testing, you can uncover what’s going on in your body and tackle these issues head-on, helping to reduce that harmful inflammation.
The Brain-Gut Connection
Did you know your gut health could play a role in protecting your brain? Studies suggest that Alzheimer’s might have autoimmune components. Considering about 70% of our immune system lives in the gut, it makes sense that keeping our gut healthy is super important.
The gut and brain are connected through this fantastic communication network called the gut-brain axis. So, if something’s off in your gut, it can also impact how your brain works. For instance, addressing issues like dysbiosis (when your gut bacteria are out of balance) or leaky gut syndrome could do wonders for your digestion, mental clarity, and resilience.
I love that improving gut health doesn’t just help one area—it can improve your overall health.
How Sleep, Alzheimer’s Prevention, and Health Are All Connected
Alzheimer’s is a challenging journey, both for those experiencing it and their loved ones. If you want to work on your sleep and support your brain health, I am here to help.
If you are wondering how holistic medicine can support your healing journey, click on this link to explore how I can help you either in person in Boulder, CO, or click on this link for long-distance telehealth sessions.
Also, check out my book, The Deep Blue Sleep—A Roadmap to Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep Naturally. This book provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the nervous system's role in sleep, strategies for improving sleep, and tips for reducing anxiety related to insomnia.
Available in Paperback, E-book, and Audiobook.
