Good quality sleep is important for a healthy being.
A recent study revealed a concerning link between disrupted sleep patterns in individuals aged 30s and 40s and subsequent cognitive issues a decade later. Researchers tracked sleep quality among hundreds of participants over six nights using wrist activity monitors in the early 2000s, evaluating sleep fragmentation – short, repetitive sleep interruptions. A decade later, cognitive abilities were assessed in 526 individuals through standardized interviews and tests.
Participants slept an average of six hours nightly, with around a fifth of their sleep interrupted. Those experiencing more sleep disruptions or increased movement during sleep tended to perform poorly on cognitive tests later on. Notably, out of the 175 individuals with highly disrupted sleep, 44 exhibited poor cognitive performance compared to 10 out of 176 with less disrupted sleep.
Published in Neurology, the study underscored that factors like less sleep or higher sleep fragmentation correlated with being male, Black, having a higher BMI, or a history of depression or hypertension. Adjusting for health factors, those with highly disrupted sleep were more than twice as likely to score poorly on cognitive tests.
Dr. Yue Leng, a study author, highlighted the importance of understanding the link between sleep and cognition earlier in life, given the onset of Alzheimer’s-related brain changes years before symptoms appear.
Despite participants tracking their sleep in diaries, the study found no direct correlation between self-reported sleep quality or duration and midlife cognition. Leng emphasized that sleep quality mattered more than quantity for cognitive health in middle age.
The study stressed the necessity for seven to ten hours of sleep per night, highlighting the impact of sleep disorders on public health, including a higher risk of conditions like diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and dementia.
Experts recommended addressing the root cause of fragmented sleep, especially if due to sleep disorders like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome. Lifestyle adjustments, such as regular daytime exercise, establishing a bedtime routine, limiting screen time, and avoiding stimulating substances before bedtime, were advised. Creating a conducive sleep environment, maintaining a consistent wake-up time, and consulting a doctor for underlying sleep issues were also recommended for better sleep hygiene.
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