Neurologist Shares The 1 Sleep Change That Could Reduce Dementia Risk
Getting enough sleep, especially in midlife, has been linked to a decreased risk of dementia.
And even something as seemingly trivial as having more nightmares has been associated with the condition, too.
But in a recent TikTok video, neurologist Dr Baibing Chen, who uses the name Dr Bing online, shared another slumber-related behaviour that might ramp up your odds of developing dementia.
He listed three nighttime habits that he would never do as a neurologist, and the first one involves a simple settings change.
Keep your white noise machine below 50 decibels
Don’t blast your white noise machine as you’re trying to nod off, the expert advised.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t use one – Dr Bing has a white noise machine himself.
“I get it – you’re probably trying to block out traffic, your partner snoring, or dog licking his paw at 2am,” he said.
But, he explains, “if it’s too loud, that can actually lead to hearing damage over time... hearing loss is one of the biggest risk factors for dementia later in life.”
We should aim for a maximum of 50 decibals, which you can check on your phone, Dr Bing revealed.
Some researchers have found that even mild hearing loss increases your dementia risk. Alzheimer’s UK says that those who develop worse hearing between the ages of 40-65 may be at particular risk.
They go so far as to say that hearing loss may even count as an early sign of dementia.
@doctor.bing 3 things I don’t do as a Neurologist at night time #tiktoklearningcampaign#brain#BrainHealth#neurology#selfimprovement#doctor#neuroscience
♬ original sound - Dr. Bing, MD MPH
Why is hearing loss associated with dementia?
Speaking to Johns Hopkins Medicine, Dr Frank Lin said that even slight hearing loss seemed to double dementia risk in his research.
Brain scans showed that not being able to hear was linked to brain atrophy. He suggested that it can decrease your risk of social isolation (which is itself a dementia risk factor).
Additionally, he said that accurate hearing helps you to pick up signs linked to balance.
“It also makes your brain work harder just to process sound. This subconscious multitasking may interfere with some of the mental processing needed to walk safely,” he shared – poor spatial awareness and even walking and balance issues have both been associated with higher dementia risk.
We aren’t definite yet why the association exists. However, research has found that identifying and treating suspected hearing loss early on is beneficial as we age.