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1. Yoga increases strength, balance and flexibility.

  Slow movements and deep breathing increase blood and holding a pose can build your strength.

2. Yoga relieves back pain.

Yoga has positive effects similar to simple stretching for easing pain and improving mobility for people with lower back pain. The American College of Physicians recommends yoga for chronic low back pain.

3. Yoga can help with arthritis.

  Gentle yoga can ease the pain of tender, swollen joints for people with arthritis.

4. Yoga benefits heart health.

Regular yoga practice may reduce levels of stress and body-wide inflammation, contributing to healthier hearts. Several of the factors contributing to heart disease, including high blood pressure and excess weight, can also be addressed through yoga.

5. Yoga can relax you and help you sleep better.

  Research shows that a consistently doing yoga prior to sleep can get you in the right mindset and help fall asleep and stay asleep.

6. Yoga can mean more energy and better moods.

 You may feel increased mental and physical energy, a boost in alertness and enthusiasm, and fewer   negative feelings after getting into a routine of practicing yoga.

7. Yoga helps you manage stress. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, scientific evidence  shows that yoga supports stress   management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss and quality sleep.

8. Yoga connects you with a supportive community. 

Participating in yoga classes can ease loneliness and provide an environment for group healing and   support. Even during one-on-one sessions loneliness is reduced as one is acknowledged as a unique   individual, being listened to and participating in the creation of a personalized yoga plan.

9. Yoga promotes better self-care.

Source: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-benefits-of-yoga

Sleep is an essential part of brain health; during sleep, the brain cleans and removes unwanted clutter. Sleep patterns also influence the pathology of the disease. With age, the sleep cycle can break down, resulting in older adults getting less sleep. Scientists are looking into studies of whether long term sleep loss in young and middle-agedadults increases risk of Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

The brain gets rid of excess amyloid proteins during slow-wave sleep, the deep sleep phase during which your memories are consolidated. Some studies exhibit that when sleep gets scattered during the slow-wave phase, amyloid proteins build up and form plaque on brain tissue. Scientists believe this is the first stage of the development ofAlzheimer’s, and this can happen years before symptoms appear.

One of our scientific advisory board members, and Alzheimer’s disease. Holtzman found that amyloid plaques showed up before and more regularly in the brains of mice with lackluster sleep than in mice with regular sleep patterns. The study also pointed to orexin, a neurotransmitter that regulates the sleep cycle, as likely being involved in the production of increased levels of amyloid. This research helped both to identify orexin as a potential drug target, and to demonstrate the critical importance of adequate sleep in lowering risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

During sleep, the natural cleaning system of the brain goes into action, removing debris and toxic particles. Poor sleep is now associated with a buildup of amyloid and extended poor sleep causes the buildup of tau, another hallmark of the disease. It turns out that, during wake cycles, amyloid accumulates in the brain. During sleep, cerebrospinal fluid rushes through the brain to clear out unwanted protein particles and debris. One study also pointed to orexin, a neurotransmitter that
regulates the sleep cycle, as likely being involved in the production of increased levels of amyloid. This research helped both to identify orexin as a potential drug target, and to demonstrate the critical importance of adequate sleep in lowering risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

References: 1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/waking-up-to-alzheimers-can-getting-quality-sleep-help-prevent-the-disease-2017090812293 2. https://curealz.org/news-and-events/sleep-alzheimers-disease-2009/ 3. https://curealz.org/news-and-events/sleep-and-alzheimers-disease-2019/ 4. https://curealz.org/news-and-events/get-more-sleep/

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is a progressive disease, meaning that symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, eventually becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 percent to 80 percent of all dementia cases. The greatest known risk factor of this disease is old age. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer’s, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. On average, a person with Alzheimer’s lives four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.

There is no cure or treatment that can prevent Alzheimer’s disease from progressing. Medications called cholinesterase inhibitors are prescribed for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. These drugs may help reduce some symptoms and help control some behavioral symptoms. The medications are Razadyne® (galantamine), Exelon® (rivastigmine), and Aricept® (donepezil).