Consistently getting a good night’s sleep could help prevent some effects of brain aging and dementia, according to the results of a recent study from the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Sleep Medicine.
Researchers followed nearly 2,800 “cognitively unimpaired” adults with an average age of 70 for about 5½ years. Participants answered questions about their recent sleep patterns at the beginning of the study period, then took annual cognitive and memory tests. Some also completed brain scans, which were used to identify any damaged tissue and proteins connected to Alzheimer’s disease.
Results associated chronic insomnia (defined as difficulty sleeping at least three days a week for three months or more) with a 40% higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment or dementia. That translated to an additional 3½ years of brain aging.
“The study does not prove that insomnia causes brain aging,” the researchers emphasized. “It only shows an association.”
Sixteen percent of the participants dealt with chronic insomnia when the study started. The researchers determined that 14% of them developed mild cognitive impairment or dementia. That compared with 10% of the participants without insomnia.
“Insomnia doesn’t just affect how you feel the next day – it may also impact your brain over time,” said lead study author Diego Carvalho of the Mayo Clinic. “We saw faster decline in thinking skills and changes in the brain that suggest chronic insomnia could be an early warning sign or even a contributor to future cognitive problems.”
Carvalho added that the results contribute to a “growing body of evidence that sleep isn’t just about rest – it’s also about brain resilience.”
The study was published in the journal Neurology.
