Lack of sleep impairs memory

You’ve had the word on your tongue before, but the memory, that bitch, won’t come back. Other times, your classmate’s name, your bank card PIN, your loved ones’ birthdays… The cause of memory problems may not be just growing older, but also the fact that you haven’t slept well in a long time.

We consider it normal that we don’t think much after a sleepless night – we are simply tired. But when we neglect sleep for long periods of time, either because we don’t have time for it because of work or caring for family, or because we suffer from insomnia, the effects on our memory, ability to concentrate and other cognitive processes are much more profound. At that point, changes start to take place at the level of our DNA.

What happens in our cells

The DNA strands are not loose in our cells, but are wound on spherical proteins called histones – like thread on a spool. However, in order for the individual genes in DNA to be “read”, i.e. for the organism to make proteins based on them, the corresponding section of the filament must first be released from the histone “spool”. For this to happen, a chemical reaction called acetylation must take place on the histone in question. If this does not happen, the gene is “switched off”, which is the same as if it were not in the DNA at all.

However, scientists have found that sleep deprivation leads to increased production of an enzyme called deacetylase in the brain, and because of this, the level of histone acetylation decreases. This process had a detrimental effect on memory – it reduced the activity of the BDNF gene, which produces a protein of the same name that is involved in the formation of synapses, the connections between nerve cells. If this protein is underproduced due to reduced histone acetylation, memory in particular suffers, but also other brain processes.

In rats, a decrease in memory due to increased deacetylase production was observed after only three days of sleep deprivation, in humans this process is probably slower.

Is it possible to “grow up”?

A common feature of epigenetic reactions, including the aforementioned histone acetylation, is that they are reversible. Yet, to reverse the negative changes at the DNA level that have occurred due to long-term sleep deprivation, it is not enough to finally get a few nights of good sleep. At the same time, we need to add other adjustments to our lifestyle that have a more significant impact on the epigenetic processes in our body.

Dietary modification is very important – for example, reducing carbohydrates in the diet has a proven positive effect on memory and cognitive processes. Regular exercise is also important, while smoking and drinking alcohol have a negative effect.

Will dietary supplements help?

In addition, we can support positive changes with dietary supplements with epigenetic action. These are nutrients and herbs that have the ability to influence the course of epigenetic reactions in our body, and if we take them in higher concentrations (i.e. just in the form of dietary supplements), they can be a really significant help. You can try the following:

Omega-3

These unsaturated fatty acids are essential for brain fitness. In children, sufficient levels are a prerequisite for proper brain and intellectual development, but they are also important later in life. They have been shown to slow memory and other cognitive decline with age, and older people who are deficient in them even have smaller brain volumes compared to their peers, especially in the grey matter of the brain.

Boswell

An extract from a tree also known by the Czech name incense tree slows down memory loss due to aging and can even directly improve both memory and the ability to learn and other brain functions.

Curcumin

The dye contained in the spice turmeric exerts an epigenetic effect on a number of brain processes. For example, it can slow the deterioration of memory and other cognitive abilities, even in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Coriander should be consumed along with pepper.

Rosemary

Rosemary is one of the traditional plants used to promote memory and concentration, and these effects have been demonstrated by modern scientific research.