Poor sleep and other issues with circadian rhythm are common for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Now researchers may have a clue to why.
“If your circadian clock is not quite right for years and years—you routinely suffer from disrupted sleep at night and napping during the day—the cumulative effect of chronic dysregulation could influence inflammatory pathways such that you accumulate more amyloid plaques,” says Erik Musiek. (Credit: Getty Images)
Fractured sleep, daytime sleepiness, and other signs of disturbance in one’s circadian rhythm are common complaints of people with Alzheimer’s disease, and the problems only get worse as the disease progresses.