my story revisited #207-i still need my sleep

MY STORY REVISITED #207-I STILL NEED MY SLEEP

sleep is when the garbage can guys in your brain called microphages go into the brain and clean up all the debris left from the daytime
its thought one needs about 7-8 hours for that to happen
the debris accumulates if its not gotten rid up eventually becoming amyloid plaques which is what starts off the alzheimers disease cascade of events that kills brain cells
later tau proteins in the nerve cells unwind and form tangles which kills brain cells
later inflammation sets in and kills more brain cells
thats what happens in alzheimers disease

you need that sleep for the garbage can men to do their job to clean up all that stuff that accumulates

alzheimers disease and just getting old causes you to have affected sleep
then
add aricept or donepezil for alzheimers symptoms 
aricept can cause sleep disturbances

I started aricept as soon as i was diagnosed in 2010 and have been on it for 14 years 
it may be one reason by symptoms have not gotten worse
a study showed if started early those patients have a slowing of symptoms and also tend to live longer than those not given the med

i chose to get on it and i am glad i did

the big problem i have is it interferes with my sleep so that i only get 5 hours of sleep at night
so
i add on a nap in the afternoon for 1-2 hours
this gives me my 7 hours so those garbage men can do their job

if i skip my nap i still only sleep 5 hours 

this needing 7-8 hours a day applies to all of us
those garbage guys not finishing their jobs every night can lead to a lot of damage in your brain over your lifetime

so
in my old blog i was explaining to ms b why i need more sleep
__________
09/23/2015

DEAR MS B-SLEEP

you may not notice this yet
but
when you go down for a nap after lunch
so do i

now you do it cause your full and you are
afastagrowing
to fast i might add
you need your growth rest
growing can tire you out

now i take a medicine called aricept (donepezil)
well one day youll understand why
when you ask why im not around for your
high school graduation

this stuff is a sleep disturber
it lets me only get a few hours sleep a night
usually 5 hours
so
i compensate with that afternoon nap
without it im afraid i wouldnt function well

now ms b ive tried going without it
and
i gain my lost sleep hours back
i would just stay off it
but
im not sure what may happen if i did

i might not know who you are
i might be further along in this process im
undergoing
further than i realize

so i dont wont to take that chance
of stopping the aricept so i can get more sleep

now this stuff does make for some vivid dreams
sometimes
almost real when i wake up

usually they are not disturbing
but
occasionally they are though

now we have enjoyed facetiming with you
you can see your little eyes focus on us
as we talk
yes you seem to like my donad duck voice
and
the whistling i do
something i learned in caring for babies during
my career

now that facetiming with you
and
that ad on tv of those zombies deciding to run after
that guy

well it all came together in a dream
those zombies in that ad
they were after me
running me down they were

i fell onto the floor
huddled down
closed my eyes

then ms b
it got quiet
guess i made them go away
i slowly opened my eyes
there you were ms b
with those eyes and that smile
you were sitting up
leaned forward
you looked just like you did on facetime
you leaned in real close
and
gave me this wet slobbering kiss on my cheeks

ms b i instantly woke up
ms b
believe it or not
but my cheek was soaking wet
and
i didnt wipe it off

thanks

maybe ill just stay on that stuff
__________

ms b is now old enough to read my old blogs
maybe ill get her to read this one so she will understand why i nap every afternoon

i am doing better because
i was diagnosed early
i was started on aricept or donepezil earlier than most folks
i was and am aggressive with my health 
ie
i get adequate sleep
i eat healthy ie the mind diet
i maintain a normal blood pressure cholesterol and glucose
i have a normal weight ie a normal bmi of 23
i stay active mentally socially and physically
i avoid stress as much as i can
i dont smoke or drink
i meditate by gardening
i took 34 months of aduhelm which removed all the measurable amyloid plaque from my brain

for now that is the prescription for fighting this disease
the earlier you start the better chances you are to be successful

in the future there are more meds that will remove tau tangles and treat inflammation and prevent amyloid from forming 

you might start by getting enough sleep
you will feel better every day if you do

the organicgreen doctor