Avoid This Sleep Pattern and Prevent Memory Loss

If there’s one thing we’re all losing sleep over in our golden years, it’s memory loss. Because chances are, your life is being directly impacted. Maybe it’s a family member… your spouse… your neighbor… or even yourself. Even worse? Memory loss doesn’t just show up overnight. Instead, it can creep up on you or a loved one over months or even years. Luckily, scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital have identified a vicious cycle that could be among your first clues that Alzheimer’s is on the horizon. And it has everything to do with how you’re sleeping. We’ve talked about sleep and memory loss a number of times before in this publication. We’ve reported how a good night’s sleep is critical to brain health and that napping can be “bad” or “good” for the brain depending upon when and how long you nap. Now, there’s new information on the napping front…

Key Takeaways

• Excessive daytime napping may be an early warning sign. Frequent, long daytime naps have been linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease and may increase as the disease progresses.

• Not all naps are bad. Short 20-30 minute afternoon power naps are generally considered healthy, while increasing daytime sleepiness and frequent morning naps deserve medical attention.

• Lifestyle still matters. Prioritizing quality sleep, regular exercise, and an anti-inflammatory diet may help protect brain health and reduce Alzheimer's risk.

A Predictor of Alzheimer’s Disease 

A landmark report, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, shows a link between daytime sleep, memory loss, and Alzheimer’s disease. The research confirms the correlation between excessive daytime napping and an increased future risk of Alzheimer’s. 

What’s more, if you already have Alzheimer’s disease, the illness can increase your need for a daytime nap as you age. In this first-of-its-kind napping study, the researchers tested two hypotheses:

1. Seniors nap longer and/or more frequently as they age and these changes speed up with the onset of Alzheimer’s.

2. Seniors who frequently nap during the day have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

For the research, scientists from Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center and University of California, San Francisco, used data from the ongoing Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP) which included more than 1,000 seniors (average age of 81). All participants were given a sleep tracker that they wore for up to two weeks. This data was then used to identify and calculate how often and for how long the seniors were napping. Through the research, the investigators found a link between daytime napping and Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, the research revealed that taking longer and more frequent naps was a risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s in cognitively normal seniors. In fact, the results were so strong that the study authors describe the relationship between daytime napping and Alzheimer’s as a “vicious cycle.”1

The Vicious Alzheimer’s Cycle 

“The vicious cycle we observed between daytime sleep and Alzheimer’s disease offers a basis for better understanding the role of sleep in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease in older adults,” said Peng Li of the Medical Biodynamics Program in Brigham and Women’s Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. “Our results not only suggest that excessive daytime napping may signal an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s dementia, but they also show that faster yearly increase in daytime napping may be a sign of deteriorating or unfavored clinical progression of the disease. Our study calls for a closer attention to 24-hour sleep patterns — not only nighttime sleep but also daytime sleep — for health monitoring in older adults.”

The Napping-Alzheimer’s Connection 

As we’ve reported before, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, have found that the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease can attack areas of the brain that are responsible for keeping us awake during the day. As tau, a type of protein, collects in the brain in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, it destroys the neurons that are supposed to keep us alert. Under normal circumstances, tau is configured to attach to parts of the brain that supply nutrients to neurons. 

As Alzheimer’s progresses, the tau detaches from these parts and forms the twisted tangles that damage neurons. The research team examined autopsies that compared the brains of people who died having normal cognitive function to those of folks who had Alzheimer’s. They found tau buildup in three brain centers involved in wakefulness – the locus coeruleus, the lateral hypothalamic areas and the tuberomammillary nucleus – in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. Similar buildups were not present in healthy brains. What’s more? In the dementia victims, these areas had lost up to 75 percent of their neurons! 

“It’s remarkable because it’s not just a single brain nucleus that’s degenerating, but the whole wakefulness-promoting network,” says researcher Jun Oh. “Crucially, this means that the brain has no way to compensate because all of these functionally related cell types are being destroyed at the same time.”2

Important: Timing of Naps Matters

Then just last year, researchers followed more than 1,000 older adults for up to 17 years using wearable activity monitors and found that when people nap may be just as important as how much they nap.

Their findings included:

• Frequent morning naps were linked with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia.

• Early afternoon naps were associated with lower amyloid-beta levels, suggesting they may not carry the same risk.

• Highly irregular nap lengths from day to day were also associated with more Alzheimer's-related brain changes. 

This adds an important nuance to the research in this area.

Power naps are still healthy, it's excessive sleepiness that's the problem

Sleep researchers now emphasize an important distinction.

A planned 20 to 30 minute afternoon nap after a poor night's sleep is not the same thing as:

• suddenly needing multiple naps every day

• falling asleep unintentionally

• gradually increasing nap time over months or years despite adequate nighttime sleep

Those latter changes are considered much more concerning and deserve medical evaluation. 

This clarification would help reassure readers who enjoy an occasional healthy nap.

It's not just Alzheimer's; many other conditions cause daytime sleepiness

Experts now stress that increasing daytime sleepiness can also result from:

• obstructive sleep apnea

• depression

• medication side effects

• heart disease

• diabetes

• chronic inflammation

• poor nighttime sleep

• other neurological disorders

So excessive napping should be viewed as a signal to investigate, not as proof someone has Alzheimer's disease. 

How to Break the Cycle 

If you or a loved one is suffering from chronic daytime sleepiness, it’s time to start looking for signs of cognitive decline. And to prevent, slow and even help treat Alzheimer’s disease (and the napping that can cause it), you should start with your lifestyle. Get regular night time sleep and regular exercise. Eat a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet which includes cutting out processed foods like packaged foods, cookies, and lunch meats. These foods are linked to the build-up of tau proteins. Replace these foods with fresh produce, lean meats, extra virgin olive oil and omega-3 supplements. These lifestyle changes help protect, nourish and energize your brain… not harm it.

Summary

Researchers have discovered a compelling connection between excessive daytime napping and Alzheimer's disease. Studies involving more than 1,000 older adults found that frequent, prolonged daytime naps may not only signal an increased risk of future Alzheimer's disease but can also become more common as the disease progresses, creating what scientists call a "vicious cycle." Additional research has shown that Alzheimer's-related tau protein damages the brain's wakefulness centers, helping explain why many people with the disease become increasingly sleepy during the day. New findings also reveal that the timing of naps matters—frequent morning naps and highly irregular napping patterns may be more concerning than short afternoon power naps. While excessive daytime sleepiness deserves medical attention, experts stress that it can also be caused by other treatable conditions such as sleep apnea, depression, or medication side effects. Maintaining healthy sleep habits, exercising regularly, and following an anti-inflammatory diet remain important strategies for supporting long-term brain health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can taking naps cause Alzheimer's disease?

No. Current research does not show that naps cause Alzheimer's. Instead, excessive daytime napping may be an early symptom or warning sign of changes already occurring in the brain.

Are power naps healthy?

Yes. Most experts agree that a planned afternoon nap lasting about 20 to 30 minutes can improve alertness and does not appear to carry the same concerns as excessive daytime sleepiness.

Why does Alzheimer's make people sleep more?

Alzheimer's disease damages brain regions responsible for keeping us awake. As tau protein accumulates, these wakefulness-promoting neurons are gradually lost, increasing daytime sleepiness.

Should I worry if I'm taking more naps?

A sudden increase in daytime sleepiness or the need for frequent, prolonged naps should be discussed with your healthcare provider. Many conditions—including sleep apnea, depression, medications, and other illnesses—can cause excessive sleepiness.

What can I do to support healthy brain aging?

Aim for consistent nighttime sleep, stay physically active, eat a Mediterranean-style anti-inflammatory diet, manage cardiovascular risk factors, and discuss any persistent daytime sleepiness with your healthcare provider.