Sleeping six hours or less per night between the ages of 50 and 70 is associated with an increased risk of dementia, according to a new study of nearly 8,000 British adults followed for more than 25 years.
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The study, published Tuesday, April 20 in the journal Nature Communications, shows a higher risk of dementia, by 20 to 40%, in short sleepers, whose sleep duration is less than or equal to six hours per night. age 50 or 60, compared to those who have "
normal
"
nights
(7 hours).
This work, which suggests the existence of a link between the duration of sleep and the risk of dementia, without allowing a cause-and-effect relationship to be confirmed, emanate from the French National Institute for Health and medical research (Inserm) and the University of Paris, in collaboration with University College London (UCL).
Researcher Séverine Sabia (Inserm / UCL) and her colleagues also observed a 30% increased risk of dementia in people aged 50 to 70 who systematically had a short sleep, regardless of their possible cardiovascular health problems, metabolic or mental (depression) which are risk factors for dementia.
A study conducted between 1985 and 2015
For the study, participants self-assessed their sleep duration six times between 1985 and 2015. And, in 2012, about 3,900 of them also wore an accelerometer watch, which captures movement during sleep. night, in order to verify the accuracy of their estimates. This confirmed the results on the risk of onset of dementia over a period up to March 2019. Nearly ten million new cases of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, are counted each year in the world, according to l 'WHO. Sleep is frequently impaired in patients with it. However, a growing body of research evidence suggests that sleep patterns prior to the onset of dementia are also likely to contribute to the development of the disease.
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These results suggest that sleep in the middle of life could play a role in brain health and thus confirm the importance of good sleep hygiene for health, underlines Inserm.
Future research may be able to determine whether improving sleep patterns can help prevent dementia, Nature notes.
In the meantime, “
not smoking, drinking in moderation, staying active mentally and physically, eating a balanced diet, and controlling cholesterol and blood pressure levels can help keep our brains healthy as we age,
” emphasizes for her part is Dr Sara Imarisio of the Alzheimer's Research Trust.