Sleep medicine in transition: new goals and a reassessment of old hypnotics

Sleep and circadian rhythm disorders (SCRDs) often occur as early comorbidities in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), often decades before typical symptoms appear. Sleep is central to brain health, as during slow-wave sleep (SWS) waste products such as amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau are removed via the glymphatic system. Pharmacological treatment of SCRDs must therefore be done carefully to avoid worsening the pathology.