Dementia describes a group of symptoms associated with ongoing cognitive decline. One of the key goals of dementia research is to identify the mechanisms that contribute to this condition as early as possible. New study suggests that going to bed early may play a role in mental breakdown.
If you like to go to bed early, then a new study has bad news for you.
Doctors have discovered how not to go to bed
“Going to bed at a certain time can increase the risk of developing dementia in older people. Certain sleep patterns in people over 60 years old can determine the risk of developing a brain disease. In subjects who went to bed until 9 pm every night and slept more than eight hours on average, the risk of dementia was 70% higher,” says neurologist Alexandra Alekhina, especially for MedikForum.
Loving couples should go to bed at the same time
While quality sleep is critical to the health of your brain, you can overdo it just like anything else.
After studying almost 2,000 participants, the research team collected sleep data from people aged 60 to 74. Each participant had to answer questions about their sleep habits and measure their cognitive function. Subjects were followed for an average of about four years to determine their sleep patterns and brain health.
Insomnia is also associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.
“Insomnia is specifically associated with impaired memory performance compared to those who have only some symptoms of insomnia or no problems with sleep at all,” Alekhina adds.
Earlier, MedicalForum wrote about the benefits of cabbage.