MINNEAPOLIS – A messy and disjointed sleep schedule could significantly increase a person’s risk of dementia later in life, new research reveals. Researchers working with the American Academy of Neurology found that individuals with inconsistent sleep patterns were 53 percent more likely to develop dementia than those with steady sleep habits.
The team notes that sleep regularity refers to the consistency of one’s sleep and wake times each day.
“Sleep health recommendations often focus on getting the recommended amount of sleep, which is seven to nine hours a night, but there is less emphasis on maintaining regular sleep schedules,” says Associate Professor Matthew Paul Pase from Monash University in Australia, in a media release. “Our findings suggest the regularity of a person’s sleep is an important factor when considering a person’s risk of dementia.”
The research team studied 88,094 people in the United Kingdom, with an average age of 62, over seven years. Participants wore wrist devices for a week to measure their sleep cycles. These measurements then helped researchers calculate a sleep regularity index. For instance, someone with the same sleep and wake times daily would score 100, while someone with varying times would score zero.
Upon examining medical data, researchers discovered that 480 participants developed dementia. Those with the most irregular sleep patterns were at the highest risk. According to the findings, this group had a more than 50-percent higher likelihood of developing dementia compared to those with just average sleep regularity.
“Effective sleep health education combined with behavioral therapies can improve irregular sleep patterns. Based on our findings, people with irregular sleep may only need to improve their sleep regularity to average levels, compared to very high levels, to prevent dementia. Future research is needed to confirm our findings,” Prof. Pase concludes.
The research is published in the journal Neurology.
You might also be interested in:
- Reaching deep sleep is key for preventing dementia, study reveals
- For the best sleep, survey finds you should get to bed by 9:39 p.m.
- 20 minutes of mindful yoga can lead to better sleep and memory
South West News Service writer Isobel Williams contributed to this report.
