Recent research shows that poor quality sleep could accelerate brain aging by almost three years, reinforcing the importance of taking care of our sleep to maintain brain health. The results, published in the journal Neurologyhighlight the potential impact of sleep disorders on brain structure and suggest that lifestyle habits influence brain aging much earlier than previously thought.
A study reveals the effects of sleep on the brain
A team of scientists performed brain scans on nearly 600 middle-aged people to assess the effects of poor quality sleep. The study took into account different factors such as age, gender, as well as any history of hypertension or diabetes. The results show a deterioration of brain structures linked to sleep disorders several years after the first observations. This degradation is so significant that, according to researchers, poor sleep could age the brain by almost three years.
Neurologist Kristine Yaffe, from the University of California at San Francisco, emphasizes the importance of good sleep hygiene to limit brain aging. She advises, for example, establishing a sleep routine, engaging in regular physical activity, and avoiding alcohol and caffeine consumption before bed. She also calls for more research to develop new methods of improving sleep and understand their long-term effects on brain health.
Measuring the effects of disrupted sleep on the brain
The study focused on six main characteristics of sleep: its duration, quality, difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, early awakenings and daytime sleepiness. Participants completed questionnaires at the start of the study and again five years later, then underwent brain scans after fifteen years of follow-up. The results show a trend of accelerated brain aging in people whose sleep had more than three negative characteristics.
Researchers found that people with sleep disorders had an average brain age almost three years higher than those with better sleep. Dr Clémence Cavailles, also from the University of California at San Francisco, explains that this premature aging of the brain, linked to disrupted sleep from middle age, could also increase the risk of cognitive disorders and dementia later in life. .
A healthy lifestyle to preserve brain health
The findings of this study echo the results of other research, also published in Neurologywhich suggest that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of cerebrovascular disease, depression and dementia. The study suggests monitoring four key indicators of brain health, called “Life’s Essential 8”: body weight, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and blood sugar. These factors, already known for their impact on heart health, could also slow brain aging and protect cognitive functions in the long term.
Dr Santiago Clocchiatti-Tuozzo of Yale University points out that taking care of these parameters from adulthood helps preserve brain function later in life. According to him, the brain plays a fundamental role in daily adaptation and cognitive abilities, and it is therefore essential to make healthy lifestyle choices to maintain health.
These findings confirm the importance of quality sleep, but they also highlight the need for overall lifestyle monitoring to prevent premature brain aging. Getting enough sleep, maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, and avoiding harmful substances are key to a healthy brain. Furthermore, here are 10 tips to adopt to improve your sleep.
