Earth & Mind Series, Part 3 - Sleep and Alzheimer’s

Welcome back to the Earth & Mind series. In Part 2, we explored the dynamic interplay between cortisol and melatonin—two critical hormones that regulate our stress response and sleep cycles. Now, we shift focus to an intersection of neurology and holistic medicine by examining how grounding might serve as a non-pharmacological intervention for sleep disturbances and psychological symptoms in individuals with mild Alzheimer’s disease. Our primary source comes from a randomized, double-blind study conducted by Lin et al. at the Department of Neurology and Chinese Medicine at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, spanning August 2019 to July 2020.

Alzheimer’s Disease: A Closer Look

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative neurological disorder that progressively impairs cognitive functions, including memory, judgment, and behavior. It is the leading cause of dementia, accounting for roughly 60-80% of all dementia cases. A hallmark of Alzheimer’s pathology is the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits, specifically amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which impair neural communication and lead to neuronal death. This accumulation disrupts the brain's functional networks, leading to symptoms ranging from memory loss and confusion to severe behavioral changes and eventual loss of independence.

Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. This destructive process involves an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body, leading to cellular and molecular damage. Understanding and managing oxidative stress are key to mitigating Alzheimer’s pathology.

The Study: Grounding as a Non-Pharmacological Intervention

Lin et al. designed a rigorous study to investigate whether grounding could be a viable therapeutic option for individuals with mild Alzheimer's disease.

Participants: The study involved patients diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s disease. They were randomly divided into two groups: one received grounding treatment, while the other underwent sham-grounding treatment, ensuring that neither the participants nor the researchers knew who received the actual treatment (a key feature of a double-blind study).

Intervention: Grounding sessions lasted 30 minutes each and were conducted five times per week over 12 weeks. This consistent, structured regimen aimed to ensure any measurable effects were genuinely attributable to grounding and not chance.

Assessments: The researchers used three standardized tools to gauge the intervention's effectiveness:

• Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI): Assessed various aspects of sleep quality, including sleep duration, disturbances, and daytime functionality. A score range of 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating worse sleep quality, allowed for objective evaluation.

• Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI): Measured anxiety levels, a significant symptom in Alzheimer’s patients that impacts quality of life and disease progression.

• Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II): Evaluated depressive symptoms, often co-occurring with cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s.

Results: Improved Sleep Quality with Grounding

After 12 weeks, the study yielded promising results. Participants in the grounding group exhibited significantly lower PSQI scores, indicating improved sleep quality compared to the sham-grounding group. These findings suggest that grounding may have a positive influence on sleep patterns, a crucial aspect of managing Alzheimer’s disease.

Sleep disturbances are common in Alzheimer’s patients and are linked to accelerated cognitive decline. Poor sleep quality contributes to the buildup of amyloid plaques, creating a vicious cycle that worsens the condition. The study’s findings highlight grounding as a simple, accessible, and cost-free method to potentially break this cycle by improving sleep—a crucial, but often overlooked, therapeutic target in Alzheimer’s care.

The Implications: Beyond Alzheimer’s

The implications of this study extend beyond Alzheimer’s management. Poor sleep quality is associated with a range of chronic conditions, from cardiovascular diseases to anxiety disorders. Grounding’s demonstrated effect on sleep could thus serve as a preventative measure, reducing the risk of various age-related ailments. This study adds to a growing body of research suggesting that grounding may favorably impact the autonomic nervous system, enhancing vagal tone—a measure of parasympathetic nervous system activity that reflects the body's ability to manage stress.

Grounding’s effect on cortisol and melatonin secretion, as discussed in Part 2, underscores its influence on the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock that governs sleep-wake cycles. The autonomic nervous system's balance and circadian regulation play central roles in maintaining mental and physical health. This connection makes grounding a promising avenue for holistic, non-pharmacological intervention.

A Look Ahead: Visualizing Grounding’s Effects on the Brain

With evidence mounting for grounding's beneficial impact on sleep, stress, and emotional well-being, the next logical step is to visualize how grounding affects brain activity. In Part 4 of the series, we will delve into tools like electroencephalography (EEG)—a non-invasive technique that records electrical activity in the brain. By examining EEG data, we can begin to see how grounding might alter brain wave patterns and neural oscillations, offering deeper insights into its physiological mechanisms.

Conclusion: Grounding—A Simple Solution with Profound Implications

Lin et al.’s study provides valuable evidence supporting grounding as a practical, non-invasive approach to improve sleep quality in Alzheimer’s patients. These findings hold promise for both treatment and prevention, suggesting that grounding might help manage symptoms and potentially slow disease progression. As we continue to explore this topic, we will uncover the physiological and neurological changes that grounding might induce, helping us see beyond symptoms and into the very architecture of the mind.

Stay tuned for Part 4.

Summary

In Part 3 of the "Earth & Mind Series," a study at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital found that grounding significantly improved sleep quality in individuals with mild Alzheimer’s disease. This suggests grounding, a simple, non-invasive practice, may help manage Alzheimer’s symptoms by improving sleep—a crucial factor in disease progression. The findings highlight grounding's potential for enhancing overall well-being and preventing chronic conditions. In Part 4, we'll use brain imaging to explore how grounding impacts brain activity and ties into neurological health.

Further Reading

https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers#:~:text=Alzheimer's%20disease%20accounts%20for%2060%2D80%25%20of%20dementia%20cases.&text=Alzheimer's%20is%20not%20a%20normal,affects%20a%20person%20under%2065.

Chen Z, Zhong C. Oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Bull. 2014 Apr;30(2):271-81. doi: 10.1007/s12264-013-1423-y. Epub 2014 Mar 24. PMID: 24664866; PMCID: PMC5562667.

Lin CH, Tseng ST, Chuang YC, Kuo CE, Chen NC. Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Mild Alzheimer's Disease: A Pilot Study. Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Mar 20;10(3):581. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10030581. Erratum in: Healthcare (Basel). 2022 May 26;10(6): PMID: 35327058; PMCID: PMC8954071.