Sleeping Poorly in Your 40s May Age Your Brain Faster, Study Finds
What a Nightmare!
Sleeping poorly in your 40s may age your brain faster, and you might feel the effects into your late 50s, a new study finds.
Maintaining a Consistent Sleep Schedule is Key
"Our findings highlight the importance of addressing sleep problems earlier in life to preserve brain health, including maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, exercising, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before going to bed, and using relaxation techniques," said study author Dr. Kristine Yaffe of UC San Francisco.
The Study
Nearly 600 adults around 40 years old completed a sleep questionnaire at the start of the study and five years later. The questions included: "Do you usually have trouble falling asleep?" "Do you usually wake up several times at night?" and "Do you usually wake up far too early?"
The researchers noted if participants experienced short sleep duration, poor sleep quality, troubles falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, early morning awakening, or daytime sleepiness. Experts generally recommend seven to nine hours of shuteye a night.
The Results
Participants were divided into three groups based on their sleep traits. Those in the low group (about 70%) had none or one of the six characteristics. Middle group participants (22%) had two or three, and those in the high group (8%) had four to six.
Fifteen years after the start of the study, participants underwent cranial scans that helped researchers calculate their brain age.
The Findings
After accounting for age, sex, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other factors, researchers determined that middle group brains were 1.6 years older on average than low group brains. Those in the high group had an average brain age 2.6 years older.
Which Sleep Habits are Linked to Greater Brain Age?
Poor sleep quality, difficulty falling and staying asleep, and early morning awakening were linked to greater brain age, especially when people experienced these problems for at least five years.
Conclusion
The study, which was funded by the National Institute on Aging, does not prove that poor sleep accelerates brain aging – it only shows an association between the two. Future research should focus on finding new ways to improve sleep quality and investigating the long-term impact of sleep on brain health in younger people.
Additional Findings
Another study, published on the same day in the online issue of Neurology, found that middle-aged people with uncontrolled blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol who don’t exercise, eat healthfully, or sleep well face a higher risk of stroke, dementia, or depression later in life.
FAQs
Q: What are the key takeaways from this study?
A: The study suggests that sleeping poorly in your 40s may age your brain faster, and that maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, exercising, and practicing relaxation techniques can help preserve brain health.
Q: What are the limitations of this study?
A: One limitation is that participants reported their own sleep problems, which may not have accurately characterized them.
Q: What are the next steps for future research?
A: Future research should focus on finding new ways to improve sleep quality and investigating the long-term impact of sleep on brain health in younger people.
