A delay in getting to the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep may be linked to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, a new study indicates.

Groundbreaking study uncovers the crucial link between REM sleep patterns and Alzheimer's disease, providing new insights for early detection and prevention.

However, some research suggests that poor sleep could raise your risk of Alzheimer’s. A study published in November found that 35 percent of people who were considered poor sleepers (and felt excessively tired during the day as a result) went on to develop motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR), which is considered a precursor to dementia.

Taking longer to get to deep sleep or REM sleep can disrupt memory consolidation and emotional processing, affecting overall rest and cognitive health. And now a recent study makes a shocking link between delayed REM sleep and Alzheimer's disease.