Sleep disturbance is associated with a higher risk of dementia.
Lack of Sleep and Dementia
Chronic insomnia has adverse health implications. Short sleep can impact your daytime function and quality of life. Insomnia is also associated with an increase in your risk of cardiovascular events and death. Today, I want to turn to a new study, reminding us that lack of sleep may also be associated with dementia.
An irreversible loss of brain function characterizes dementia. It affects language, memory, problem-solving, and more. There are several dementia types, all typically affecting older individuals. Sleep issues are common in individuals affected with dementia, and disturbed sleep can exacerbate the disease’s symptoms.
Sleep and health are inextricably connected. Those with dementia often have challenges with sleep. But is the reverse true? Can sleep problems increase our chances of memory loss or dementia?
Lack of Sleep and Dementia
There is a decreased percentage of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and sleep architecture changes in older adults (average age 76). They appear to be associated with an increased future risk of dementia. New research from Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital found this:
The risk of dementia was double among participants who reported getting less than five hours of sleep than those who reported seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
The team also found associations between sleep deficiency (including low sleep quality and trouble maintaining alertness) and the overall risk of death over the next four to five years. Routinely needing 30 minutes or more to fall asleep was associated with a significantly higher (nearly 1.5-times) risk of dementia.
The scientists used information from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). This longitudinal study of Medicare beneficiaries ages 65 years and older has been active since 2011.
We need additional studies to determine whether poor sleep increases the risk of dementia, or rather whether it is merely an association. What is increasingly clear to me is the sleep appears to be essential for brain health. If you are having trouble sleeping, here are some tips:
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