According to a recent study published in the journal Neurology, sleep quality at a certain age could have an impact on later brain health, which is quite worrying. What could be the implications of these findings?
Tl;dr
- A study links sleep quality and brain health.
- Sleep problems at 40 could accelerate brain aging.
- Researchers emphasize the importance of addressing these problems early.
Sleep, a pillar of our brain health
A recent scientific study, published in the medical journal Neurologysheds new light on the relationship between the quality of our sleep and the long-term state of our brain.
Research on the importance of sleep
Dr. Clémence Cavaillès of the University of California, San Francisco, led a 15-year study with a team of researchers, involving 589 participants who were around 40 years old when the study began. The researchers followed these individuals, regularly asking them questions about their sleep. At the end of this period, each participant underwent a brain examination.
This study found that individuals who had sleep problems at age 40 showed signs of accelerated brain aging around age 60. Dr Cavaillès explains: “Our results suggest that poor sleep is associated with almost three years of additional brain aging”.
The characteristics of poor sleep
To reach this conclusion, researchers identified six characteristics of poor sleep:
- Short sleep duration
- Poor quality of sleep
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Early morning awakenings
- Daytime sleepiness
A call for prevention
The results of this study highlight the importance of treating sleep disorders earlier in life to preserve cognitive health. Researchers recommend a regular sleep regimen, exercise, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, and using relaxation techniques to improve sleep quality.
Health
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