This Sleep Change May Reveal Increased Dementia Risk For Women

It might not shock you to learn that good sleep habits (especially in midlife) have been linked to a lower dementia risk.

“We know that around 70% of people diagnosed with dementia have a history of disrupted sleep,” Alzheimer’s Research UK write – though they state that it’s very hard to tell whether the change is a cause, or symptom, of the condition.

Additionally, those with conditions we know are linked to dementia, like diabetes and heart disease, are also linked to poor sleep.

Still, recent research published in Neurology which tracked women (who are more likely to develop dementia) is another addition to the growing pile of research which shows increased sleepiness over time may be associated with dementia risk among older people.

The study tracked 733 women

The researchers followed 733 women without dementia from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Their average age was 82.5.

In the first study, they monitored participants’ sleep duration, quality, and cycles, including naps. 

Five years later, they repeated the sleep study and added cognitive tests too. 93 women had gone on to develop dementia by that time.

The researchers found that women who reported both exhaustion and “increasing sleepiness” were twice as likely to have developed dementia compared to people whose sleep patterns had stayed the same.

Having worse sleep quality, getting up more at night, taking more naps were also associated with an increased risk of dementia. 

While this research only looked at women, a previous study also published in the journal Neurology used data from The Framingham Heart Study, which has been following a mixed-gender group of people and their children since 1948. 

They found that “Prolonged sleep duration may be a marker of early neurodegeneration and hence a useful clinical tool to identify those at a higher risk of progressing to clinical dementia within 10 years.” 

Does this mean I’m going to get dementia if I’m sleepy?

No! There are so many causes of sleepiness, and untangling the nature of the relationship sleep has to dementia isn’t easy. This study only found a correlation, not a causal link. 

Still, Alzheimer’s UK writes that even though the odd bad night’s kip is likely alright, “Overall, evidence so far points to having at least seven hours a night to help boost our brain health.” 

A 2021 study showed adults over 50 who slept under six hours were 30% more likely to develop the condition.