A study has revealed a concerning link between daytime fatigue and an increased risk of dementia. Researchers found that individuals who experience more tiredness and drowsiness during their workday may be at a higher risk of developing this cognitive disorder.
The research, published in the prestigious journal Neurology, delves into how our daily sleep patterns could be silent predictors of future cognitive health.
Dementia is rapidly becoming a global health crisis. With current estimates of 55 million patients worldwide, experts project this number could skyrocket to 139 million by 2050.
The CDC has identified several risk factors for dementia, including a sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, high blood pressure, hearing loss, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption.
Recent research indicates that poor sleep habits may be another crucial piece of the dementia puzzle.
Researchers at California State University, San Francisco, tracked and observed 733 adult women over five years in the “Study of Osteoporotic Fractures” to investigate the impact of daytime fatigue and napping on dementia risk.
All study participants wore actigraphs to record their sleep-wake activity for 24 hours. Researchers used the actigraphs to measure nighttime sleep duration, nap duration, and circadian rest-activity rhythm (RAR).
After five years of observation, the participants’ sleep patterns were categorized into three types.
The “stable sleep” pattern was identified in 321 individuals, indicating a consistent and high-quality sleep pattern.
The “declining nighttime sleep” pattern was seen in 256 individuals, signaling a reduction in deep sleep at night, an increase in nap duration, and a slight disruption in the circadian rest-activity rhythm.
The “increasing sleepiness” pattern was observed in 156 individuals, suggesting poor sleep quality both day and night, resulting in a significantly disrupted circadian RAR.
The findings revealed that women in the “increasing sleepiness” group faced double the risk of dementia compared to those with “stable sleep.” Interestingly, the risk of mild cognitive impairment—often regarded as a precursor to dementia—showed no differences between the groups.
The researchers concluded that daily sleep patterns could significantly influence future cognitive disorder risk.
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