Although we all know that sleep is important, and the ideal is that we should get 7-8 hours a night, many people do not meet this sleep criteria. And scientists are just beginning to understand how detrimental that could be to our mental health. Poor sleep is defined as having trouble falling or staying asleep, having problems with snoring, or poor sleep quality when you are able to fall asleep.
Study shows dementia and sleep are related
Dementia is the loss of language, problem solving, and memory, primarily in older people. And it turns out there is a definite relationship between lack of sleep and dementia. Published in Aging, “the risk of dementia was double among participants who reported getting less than five hours of sleep compared to those who reported 7-8 hours of sleep per night. The team also found associations between sleep disturbance and sleep deficiency with overall risk of death.”
These numbers show a high correlation between sleep and dementia, and show the importance of getting quality sleep. Trouble maintaining alertness, frequent napping, and other sleep problems also were associated with a higher risk of dementia.
Continued studies needed
Although the data shows the troubles of older people who don’t get enough sleep as having double the chance of dementia, further study is needed. “These data add to the evidence that sleep is important for brain health and highlight the need for further research on the efficacy of improving sleep and treating sleep disorders on the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and mortality,” said Charles Czeisler, chief of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders.
Although many people might just see sleep as a time to recharge or renew, there is a very real need for sleep that transcends the superficial. With less than 5 hours of sleep a night, poor quality sleep, or daytime sleepiness, this could be a red flag for dementia in older people.
