Memory Loss
According to a recent study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, poor quality sleep among the elderly can cause severe memory loss and brain deterioration. [6] The research is the first of its kind to establish the connection between poor sleep and loss of memory. The study discovered that significant brain waves that play a crucial role in storing memories are released during sleep. Brain waves transfer memories to the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain where long-term memories are processed, from a region of the brain called the hippocampus.
In adults, low quality sleep allows memories to remain locked in the hippocampus and not enter the prefrontal cortex. This leads to memory loss and trouble recalling names.