Don’t sleep on a few troubling behaviors that could increase your risk of developing dementia.
Known risk factors for dementia include age, high blood pressure, hearing loss, smoking, high cholesterol, genetics and sleep — and a new study has found that a few key behaviors related to how we rest up can impact our brain health.
Published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, the research used brain scans and questionnaire responses from more than 23,000 middle-aged and older adults.
The scientists asked participants about five sleep behaviors: duration of sleep, daytime napping, sleeplessness, unintentional daytime dozing and snoring.
All five behaviors were initially linked to more aging in the brain. But three in particular led to greater white matter lesions, or areas of damage in the brain that are linked to a higher risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s.
Those at greater risk of these aging signs were more likely to sleep outside the recommended seven-to-nine-hour range, take frequent daytime naps and experience more sleeplessness.
“Sleep is a universal but complex behavior, and there is still much to learn about how different aspects of sleep relate to brain health,” lead study author Madeline Ally said in a press release.
While short naps have been shown to improve alertness and cognition, the research team didn’t ask about the length or timing of the participants’ naps.
And those who slept less than seven hours a night had more lesion volume than those who got between seven and nine.
“We didn’t see greater white matter impacts in people who reported longer sleep durations,” senior study author Gene Alexander said in a press release. “But this needs to be followed up in cohorts with more long sleepers.”
Sleep is essential for the brain to perform essential functions like cellular repair, memory processing and the removal of toxins and waste products.
Those who experience sleeplessness, or insomnia, also have a 40% higher risk of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, which is equal to aging 3.5 years.
Meanwhile, persistent drowsiness or needing more frequent daytime naps could be an early warning sign.
The findings of the study, though, are helpful for preventing dementia with more insight as to how sleep, a modifiable risk factor, can be improved.
If sleep is a struggle, Dr. Samir Fahmy, director of the Sleep Disorder Center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, said people should be thinking about how the rest of their day impacts their sleep at night.
“For clinicians and patients alike, the emphasis should shift from ‘how to sleep better at night’ to ‘how to structure your day to optimize sleep,’” he told The Post.
He suggests waking up at the same time every day, getting natural light exposure within the first hour, and getting exercise in the late afternoon or early evening. Closer to bedtime, he recommends a “structured wind-down routine” that lasts 30 to 60 minutes.
“This may include dimming lights, avoiding blue-light–emitting screens, engaging in low-stimulation activities (reading, stretching or mindfulness practices) and maintaining consistent pre-sleep cues,” Fahmy said.
Darkness is essential, and setting the thermostat between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit makes a big difference, too.
