Our sleep/wake cycle, eating/fasting patterns, and overall circadian rhythm play a critical role in protecting our brain. Emerging research suggests that melatonin—the hormone behind your sleep cycle—might be a key ally in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
🔬 The Science of Sleep and Brain Health
Our body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) governs processes like:
🕒 Sleep/Wake Cycles: Melatonin peaks at night, signaling rest and recovery.
🥗 Eating/Fasting Cycles: Regular mealtimes sync peripheral clocks, enhancing cellular repair and waste clearance.
🧠 Brain Detox: During deep sleep, the glymphatic system clears toxic build-up, including amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau—proteins linked to Alzheimer’s.
💡 Melatonin’s Role:
1. Circadian Regulator: Aligns disrupted rhythms in AD, improving sleep, cognitive health, and memory.
2. Toxin Clearance: Enhances nighttime glymphatic activity to remove harmful brain proteins.
3. Oxidative Defense: Reduces free radicals and inflammation that damage neurons.
4. Protects Peripheral Clocks: Maintains harmony between brain and body through synced daily rhythms.
✨ Why It Matters
Modern lifestyles—night shifts, irregular eating, and excessive screen time—can disrupt your natural rhythms, lowering melatonin production and increasing AD risk.
🛌 Prioritize consistent sleep and eating patterns to keep your internal clocks in sync. Boosting melatonin naturally or through supplementation (under guidance) could support your brain’s health and resilience.
Zhang, Z., et al., Melatonin: A potential nighttime guardian against Alzheimer’s. Molecular Psychiatry, 2024.
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