Sleep and Brain Health: A Vital Connection

Sleep and Brain Health

In late July 2016, the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) met in Toronto, Canada, hosting global leaders in the field of sleep medicine from four continents and a variety of disciplines. These included gerontology, sleep medicine, circadian disorders, neuroscience, psychology and otolaryngology. The experts provided advice to: help people maintain healthy sleep as they age help people who have trouble falling and staying asleep help those who may have possible sleep disorders help people with dementia who have trouble sleeping and their caregivers help health care providers aid others to improve their sleep The GCBH urges older adults to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep, but we know many adults do not get the recommended amount. AARP research has found that better sleep is correlated with people having higher perceptions of their well-being and brain health. Unfortunately, 23 percent of survey respondents rated their sleep quality as fair or poor. The GCBH experts made clear that while it is normal for sleep to change as we age, having poor quality sleep is not normal. Many common sleep disorders that occur as we age can be treated. The experts emphasized that people at any age can take steps to improve their sleep. These are the for people as they age. To find out more about how sleep affects your brain health, see .

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Experts agree, sleep is vital for the aging brain, including cognitive function. Click here for , , , , and translations. Click image to view full PDF

br 2016 AARP Sleep and Brain Health Survey

Over 4 in 10 adults say they don’t get enough sleep.

Sleep Issue Specialists

Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Medicine, University of California – San Diego Professor of Neurology, Emory University Professor of Psychology, Université de Montréal Baldino Professor and Director of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School Professor of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Finland Senior Professor of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Brazil Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Epidemiology, University of California – San Francisco Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia Benjamin and Virginia T. Boshes Professor of Neurology, Northwestern University Suggested Citation: Global Council on Brain Health. The Brain-Sleep Connection: GCBH Recommendations on Sleep and Brain Health. Washington, DC: Global Council on Brain Health, January 2017. Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

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