Page 209 - BEATS Secondary School
P. 209
Get Some Sleep
- Simar Bhogal, MYP 4
I’m sure most of us have stayed up this all relate to sleep deprivation? In
late at night, trying to finish some several previous studies, humans and
homework, to catch up with your animals who have experienced one-
favourite late-night show, or maybe night of sleep deprivation have woken
you just can’t sleep because of all the up with higher levels of amyloid beta
thoughts running across your brain. and tau. This is because the brain
We don’t see this as a big deal, we eliminates extra amyloid beta and tau
don’t think much about it or what when we are asleep, and when enough
it can do to our health, and that is sleep is not given, the two proteins can
mostly because we don’t know what it easily accumulate in the brain. And it’s
can do to our health. not only sleep deprivation that causes
We have two very important proteins this, a stage of deep sleep called ‘slow
in our brain - amyloid beta and tau. wave sleep’ causes a 30% increase in
Our brain’s ability to change or adapt amyloid beta levels if disrupted. Not
or in other words, our neuroplasticity sleeping for one-night results in a 50%
is controlled by amyloid beta. increase in tau levels.
Tau protein helps to regulate and Hence, we have learnt, that not only
stabilize the signals that go back and efficient sleep but also quality sleep
forth between our neuronal cells. is required for our body to naturally
Both of these proteins play a major get rid of excess proteins that could
role in the lives of those who have potentially give us a lifelong and
Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s life-altering disease. Because most
disease is a chronic neurodegenerative people today are constantly on their
disease, which means it causes the screens, including you right now. our
degeneration of your neurons over a eyes absorb the blue light emitted by
prolonged period of time. There is no our devices. This blue light ages our
cure for this disease yet, other than eyes and could cause insomnia. Some
HDAC inhibitors which may be able preventive methods you could adopt
to reduce levels of certain proteins are - turn the night light or night shift
in the brain, but the results are not in your device on, purchase blue light
proven. In a brain with Alzheimer’s blocking glasses or reduce your screen
disease, scientists have found excessive time but most importantly, get some
amounts of both, amyloid beta and sleep, not because it feels good, but
tau tangles in the brain. So how does because you need it.
