Scientists from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou found that insomnia or short sleep duration without difficulty falling asleep in middle age is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. The research was published in the journal Age and Aging.
The authors used data from 22,078 Swedish patients who were free of dementia and stroke at baseline. Information about them was collected for an average of 19.2 years.
The researchers found that compared to participants who did not have insomnia at baseline, those who had any insomnia were more likely to have dementia. However, difficulty falling asleep was associated with this condition, but not difficulty staying asleep or waking up early in the morning.
Additionally, the risk of dementia was higher in those who slept less than eight hours a night but did not complain of insomnia. In people with insomnia, short sleep duration did not further increase the risk of developing dementia.
“Assessment of sleep in midlife, including sleep duration and frequency of nocturnal insomnia symptoms, may be recommended for use in public health to enable early intervention to improve patients’ long-term health,” the authors write.
Previous scientists in the name A type of headache associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.