Suffering from chronic sleep deprivation? Here's why it could be disastrous for the brain, according to a leading neurologist

The brain requires sleep to maintain proper health and function. Many people experience sleepless nights and poor sleep quality, which leads to multiple adverse effects. Neurologist Dr.

Sudhir Kumar, who practices at Apollo Hospitals Hyderabad and trained at Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, recently explained to patients about a dangerous brain-related consequence of inadequate sleep. A recent Neurology (2025) study reveals that inadequate sleep causes brain aging acceleration and brain tissue destruction. Let's take a look...

Sleep quality and heart healthDr. Sudhir Kumar stated on a X (formerly Twitter) post that sleep medications fail to demonstrate brain health benefits, while he encourages people to focus on obtaining natural high-quality rest.

The body requires four days to recover from losing one hour of sleep everyday, according to Dr. Kumar. He established the recommended sleep duration for each age group starting from newborns who need 14–17 hours and extending to adults, who require 7–9 hours of sleep per day.How much does one needThe doctor established sleep requirements for different age groups, starting from newborns who need 14–17 hours of sleep, infants who require 12–16 hours with naps, young children need 10–14 hours, school-aged children need 9–12 hours, teenagers need 8–10 hours and adults need 7–9 hours.

The doctor emphasises that sufficient sleep each night, protects the brain from premature aging, cognitive deterioration and Alzheimer's disease development.

His recommendations enable people across different age groups to grasp the essential role sleep plays in brain wellness.

Brain healthThe brain requires sleep for its proper functioning, because it enables rest and performs essential operations, including memory consolidation, toxin elimination and cell restoration.

The quality of sleep enables people to think better and learn new things, and maintain their emotional stability. On the other hand, lack of sleep will lead to insomnia and disrupted rest. The brain cells suffer permanent damage from inadequate sleep, which results in memory problems, decreased attention span , and mood instability.

Dr. Kumar explains that insufficient sleep causes the brain to deteriorate at an accelerated rate, while making it more susceptible to dementia and other diseases.

The brain uses sleep as its built-in maintenance process to clean and repair itself.

The Neurology 2025 studyThe research published in Neurology during 2025, examined how sleep patterns influence the aging process of the brain, according to Dr. Kumar. For this, researchers conducted brain imaging and sleep monitoring on a big group of adult participants. The research team discovered that people who experienced poor sleep quality, developed brain atrophy and damage, before those who slept well.

The brain markers which indicate Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline appeared more frequently in people who had poor sleep patterns.

The research established that inadequate sleep causes immediate brain performance deterioration, while simultaneously accelerating permanent brain tissue destruction.Catastrophic for the brainDr. Kumar states that inadequate sleep prevents the brain from properly removing beta-amyloid proteins, and other harmful substances.

The accumulation of these proteins results in the formation of brain-damaging plaques that harm neural cells, and their connections. The brain's cleaning process becomes less efficient when sleep stages are disrupted, which results in faster mental deterioration. The study reveals that the hippocampus area which controls memory, shows decreased brain volume among participants who slept less, and who might in the future, develop memory problems and learning disabilities.How to sleep wellEstablish a consistent sleep pattern by sleeping and waking up at the same time every day.Develop a calming pre-sleep routine which tells your brain it needs to rest. People should stay away from screens and bright lights for at least one hour before their bedtime, because these factors disrupt sleep hormone production.People should stay away from caffeine and heavy food consumption during the time leading up to their bedtime.Daily physical exercise during daytime hours, leads to better sleep quality, but intense exercise should be avoided during evening hours.People who experience ongoing insomnia or sleep disorders, need to consult with a professional for assistance.