What sleep apnea could be telling you about your health

[00:00:00]Right now though, we are going to switch gears to another important and pressing topic here. There's a new Emory University study. It is examining whether vitamin D could slow cognitive decline in people at risk for dementia.

[00:00:14]Researchers found people with mild cognitive impairment and sleep disturbances who took a higher daily dose of vitamin D had better overall cognitive function. So, joining us right now to talk all about this is the study's lead author, Dr. Dr. Victoria Pac, a sleep expert. Dr. Pack, thank you for being with us. We appreciate it.

[00:00:34]>> Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate the opportunity. And uh yeah, and I I just want to say that we wanted to know here whether vitamin D supplementation might help support cognition in older adults that are at higher risk for Alzheimer's disease. And we studied older adults with sleep disturbances and mild memory impairment.

[00:00:59]And what we found was that those that had higher levels of vitamin C D actually tended to perform better on cognition tests. And it's really an encouraging clue and we hope that it helps to guide future research.

[00:01:15]>> Tell us more about this study. Are the results that that you've uncovered of a causal relationship between vitamin D and impaired performance or is it more at the correlative stage right now?

[00:01:27]That's a great question and this is really a observational design and it's a signal that vitamin D might be important and vitamin D is really like a a multitasker right so what's really interesting is vitamin D is involved in many different systems in the body and we know that it keeps our bones strong because it helps the body to absorb calcium but it also supports the immune system and vitamin D receptors are found in the brain as well. So, there's a lot of potential there and we're right now we're studying to see how does it improve cognition and there's a number of other potential areas that we can explore.

[00:02:10]>> How much vitamin D are we talking about here? Would it be comparable to a level you might get in a multivitamin or is this something at a more for lack of a medical term kind of a supercharged dosage of vitamin D?

[00:02:23]>> Yes. So, our findings are encouraging and but more isn't necessarily better.

[00:02:28]While there's there's general recommendations for vitamin D, everyone's health needs are different.

[00:02:34]And it's kind of like watering plants.

[00:02:36]There's a small plant and a large plant, but you don't need the same amount of water. So, the goal is really give everyone the right amount, not the most amount. And too much vitamin D can also be harmful for health. And so if you're wondering whether you need a supplement, it's always important to check with your health care provider.

[00:02:58]>> What, doctor, do the study results say for folks who are not at a point where they're experiencing cognitive decline, potentially dealing with with illnesses that often onset with with older folks with dementia and Alzheimer's. What do the results of your study say, if anything, to folks who are not at that stage, but maybe want to do all they can to prevent getting there? Maybe they have a family history and they want to do everything they can to to prevent that. Does taking vitamin D ahead of time give you some kind of boost or protection?

[00:03:37]>> Yes, and I think this is a good question to ask. So this study focused on mild cognitive impairment not on healthy individuals. However, in terms of the importance of this nutrient, this we have recommended levels that we should be taking and it's important to stay on top of your recommended amounts. And you know the encouraging news here is that brain health does not come down to one magic pill here. It's really the basics that are done consistently. So you can stay active, eat well, get good sleep. Uh these are the choices that we can make every day to really make a difference in our brains.

[00:04:22]>> You're a sleep expert. You point to sleep there as one of those essential factors of good brain health. How important is it to get an adequate amount of sleep every night for peak brain performance? And how much sleep is an adequate amount?

[00:04:38]Yes. And uh interestingly, when you sleep, your brain doesn't actually shut down. It gets to work. So, while you're sleeping, it's strengthening your memories. It's clearing away waste that naturally builds up over the day. And that's why sleep is really an important part of long-term brain health. And so, it is one of the simplest things that you can do for your brain. um and and just protect your sleep. So, one of the quick tips that I could share here is that you can treat your bedtime like it's an appointment and you keep a regular bedtime and wake time even on the weekends and your brain loves that consistency.

[00:05:23]>> Doctor, what do you say to folks who and I'm certainly guilty of this. I mean, we do interviews like this. I know I'm supposed to get probably seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Correct me if that's not the right amount. I might not know quite as much as I think I do, but I know I'm supposed to get a good night's sleep. I know I'm not supposed to, you know, have the phones going and be looking at social media when I'm trying to go to sleep in bed. I know all of those things. I know I'm supposed to keep a regular bedtime during the week and on the weekends. I don't think I'm alone though in knowing these things and not always, if I'm being honest with myself, living up to those goals of keeping all of those things, keeping all of those goals happening. What do you say to folks who say, "Hey, doc, listen, I hear you. I know it's important, but there's so much going on in my life that it's just hard to keep up with this."

[00:06:08]What advice do you give to folks, including myself, who find themselves in that bucket?

[00:06:16]Well, sleep is really one of the most important uh pillars for health, right?

[00:06:22]And we really do, like you said, we take sleep for granted, but sleep is very important for helping us to reset. And as I mentioned with the the brain, it's when you're sleeping, your brain is working to really reset for the next day. And those are the habits that we need to keep up with. Um, keeping with the regular sleep routine every day, go to bed at the same time every night. And as as you mentioned, try to eliminate the light exposure from artificial light. Yes, those are important, but that's because sleep is important for health. And this can protect your long-term brain health as well. It's just the everyday, daily, consistent habits that are very useful.

[00:07:12]>> All right, Dr. Victoria Pac with Emory University, a sleep expert, giving us the close look at this new study into vitamin D and cognitive function. Dr. We appreciate your time very much. Thank you. Thank you.