Sleep problems in your 30s lead to cognitive decline 10 years later
“Not only the elderly but also the young should pay attention to sleep quality.”
Research has shown that if you do not get a good night’s sleep in your 30s or 40s, your cognitive function will decline and your chances of developing dementia will increase.
The Journal of Neurology of the American Academy of Neurology published on the 3rd (local time) a study on the correlation between sleep and cognitive ability conducted on people in their 30s and 40s by Yue Leng, a research team led by Professor Yue Leng of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, and found that the lower the quality of sleep, the higher the incidence of dementia. It was reported that the results showed that the probability increased. In particular, ‘segmental sleep frequency’, which is the number of waking up during sleep, was found to be more important than total sleep time.
The research team collected data on sleep quality from 526 adults in their 30s between 2003 and 2005. They separated the participants into three groups: high, middle, and low based on segmental sleep frequency and sleep quality.
The research team measured sleep data using a measuring device and conducted the Pittsbus Sleep Questionnaire (PSQI), which asked questions about sleep time and habits. A PSQI score of 5 or higher is classified as a sleep disorder, and about half (45.6%) of the participants scored 5 or higher. The average sleep time of participants was 6.1 hours.
The research team measured the cognitive function of participants in their 40s 10 years later, from 2015 to 2016.
According to the announcement, regardless of sleep time, the higher the frequency of segmented sleep and the lower the quality of sleep, the more than double the likelihood of receiving a low score on a cognitive function test 10 years later. These changes were particularly noticeable in executive function, memory, and information processing speed.
Professor Leng said, “We were able to confirm the significance of the existing research on elderly people that showed a high correlation between sleep disorders and cognitive dysfunction.”
He went on to say that while research so far has focused on the correlation between sleep disorders and dementia in the elderly, it is now necessary to keep in mind the relationship between sleep and cognitive function from a young age, when the possibility of dementia can accumulate.
Source: Donga
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