Do you sleep more than 8 hours?
Source

I try to get 8 hours of sleep per night. I'm not sure if excessive sleep or lack of sleep causes AD, seems to be conflicting reports.

https://journals.lww.com/nurseeducato...sease_.12.aspx

Quote:
Can Sleepless Nights Lead to Alzheimer's Disease?

Those frequent sleepless nights nursing students and faculty frequently experience may be doing more than making us tired the following day. Researchers from Stanford and Washington University have recently determined that sleep deprivation and disturbed sleep cycles contribute to the development of amyloid-β (Aβ) in the extracellular fluid of the brain. This protein becomes the amyloid plaque we know as a hallmark for Alzheimer's disease.

Aβ is produced by neurons and deposited in the interstitial fluid of the brain (ISF), and converts to a damaging form as the concentration increases. Kang et al1 monitored changes in Aβ levels by inserting microdialysis probes in experimental mice. ISF Aβ levels were negatively correlated with the amount of time the mice slept and increased when the mice were awake. ISF Aβ levels were significantly higher during times of forced wakefulness. Following sleep deprivation the mice slept longer when allowed to do so and ISF Aβ levels decreased. Mice subjected to 20 hours of sleep deprivation for 21 days showed much higher levels of Aβ plaque deposition than their age-matched litter mate controls.

Sleep disturbances are known to be associated with various neurodegenerative diseases1 and now shown to be associated with the changes that contribute to Alzheimer's disease. Perhaps further understanding of the physiology of sleep and ways to optimize sleep could inhibit accumulation of Aβ plaque. This could thus slow the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Meanwhile, remember that a good night's sleep is better for your health than you ever before imagined.

Source: Science CiteTrack: This Week In Science. November 12, 2009. Sleep and Alzheimer's Disease. Available at https://www.sciencemag.org/content/vol326/issue5955/twis.dtl#326/5955/915-f. Accessed November 14, 2009.
Submitted by: Robin Pattillo, PhD, RN, News Editor at[email protected].

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I'm 74+ and would be soooo happy to get 7 or 8 hrs of sleep at night. I have
no major health problems except Diabetes. On nights I get less than 6 1/2 hrs,
I usually take an afternoon nap around 2pm. A full night's sleep isn't easy to
get when one wakes up to tinkle every 4 to 5 hrs. If I'm lucky I sleep to 7am
or a bit later.

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

"The head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, Dr. Susanne Sorenson, said that more research is needed to investigate the results of the study.

"There is no apparent physiological link, and it is unlikely that sleeping more than normal is a direct risk factor for dementia; it may simply be an early sign of a yet undiagnosed condition," she told The Telegraph."


It's not something I'm going to loose sleep over! I believe that alzheimers is basically heavy metal poisoning,which, I would not doubt would tend to make one sleep more. Again, which comes first....?

I imagine that having AD might cause one to sleep more or less also, depending on their system and personality. Back in the day, when they said older people got dementia sometimes, and would be forgetful, etc., it didn't seem to be so bad. AD is a much worse, and I agree that metal toxicity like aluminum is something to be wary of.