Sleeping Less Than 6 Hours Linked to Dementia Risk & Brain Aging

Chronic sleep loss in midlife affects the brain’s “cleaning network” and impacts brain health. What are the preventive measures to rest better, according to science

As the years passed, the sleep disorders they become more common. He insomniasleep apnea and movement disorders such as restless legs syndrome are usually the most common problems, according to the National Institute on Aging in the United States (NIA). But they can also increase the risk of suffering dementia.

Recently, the doctor Nicholas Fabiano, resident of psychiatry and researcher at the University of Ottawa, posted a study in only 6 hours of sleep is associated with an increase in 30% in the risk of dementia. “Sleep activates the brain’s glymphatic system to eliminate harmful waste,” the doctor explained, which increases the likelihood of developing dementia in old age.

He glymphatic system It works as a cleansing network that removes toxic waste from the brain. It is done through the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that flows through tunnels surrounding blood vessels, mixes with interstitial fluid and picks up proteins and other potentially harmful molecules, such as amyloid beta and the yesassociated with the development of Alzheimer’s. This liquid, loaded with waste, leaves the brain through the same channelscompleting an essential cycle for the maintenance of brain function.

The study published in Nature Communications was carried out by an international team led by Séverine Sabia (Université de Paris and University College London). The results, supported by the monitoring of almost 8,000 British adults for 25 years, they point out that the Chronic sleep deficiency in middle age constitutes an independent risk factoreven after ruling out the influence of previous illnesses, lifestyle habits and mental health.

Sleeping just six hours increases the likelihood of developing dementia by 30%, according to the study. (Illustrative Image Infobae)

The impact of lack of sleep on mental health has been confirmed by several investigations. Another study of the Harvard Medical Schoolconfirmed that Sleeping less than five hours a night from age 60 can double the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and increase the probability of death.

The research, which analyzed thousands of older adults in USA, Europa y Canadastressed the importance of maintaining a good quality and quantity of sleep to preserve brain health and reduce mortality in old age.

Another investigation by experts from several universities, such as Columbia, Toronto and Rush, Chicago, and published in the journal Science Advances, showed that chronic sleep loss accelerates aging of brain immune cellsknown as microglia, and can cause serious cognitive problems.

Finally, another work published by the American Academy of Neurologynoted that those who suffer from chronic insomnia could experience a accelerated brain aging and a greater likelihood of developing memory and thinking problems as the years go by. The analysis was published in the journal Neurology.

Adults with persistent short sleep at ages 50, 60 and 70 have a 30% higher risk of dementia than those who sleep seven hours

The research from the Université de Paris and University College London was based on data from the project Whitehall IIwhich has monitored the health of British officials since the mid-1980s.

The more than 7,900 participants included were evaluated for their sleep patterns at ages 50, 60, and 70. During that period, 521 people were diagnosed with dementiathe majority after turning 70 years of age and with an average age at the time of diagnosis of 77 years.

The core of the study resided in the comparison between subjects who slept six hours or less and those with sleep considered “normal”, that is, seven hours a night. At age 50, those who reported little sleep showed a 22% more risk of developing dementia. The proportion increased to 37% extra in those who maintained this pattern at age 60.

The data are consistent even when considering only individuals with no history of mental illness up to age 65, indicating that “the association between short sleep and dementia “It is not explainable by previous mental health.” This is how the Sabia team summarized it, for whom this pattern remained “after adjusting for sociodemographic, behavioral, cardiometabolic and mental factors“.

At the opposite extreme, individuals with prolonged sleep (eight hours or more) They did not present a significant increase in the risk of dementia, unlike what was suggested in previous studies, although the authors clarify that the number of cases in this group was too low for conclusive statements.

The brain’s glymphatic system is activated during deep sleep and eliminates toxic waste that could contribute to dementia (Illustrative Image Infobae)

The analysis also included the evolution of sleep habits throughout adulthood. Different trajectories were identified, being that of «persistent short sleep» the one at highest risk: those who kept six hours or less At 50, 60 and 70 years old, they had a 30% more chance of developing dementia compared to those who sustained seven hours of sleep consistently.

Research highlights that brain changes associated with dementia develop over decades. For this reason, the authors value that having recorded sleep patterns in their fifties and sixties, and not only in older adults, allows us to establish sleep deficit as a possible modifiable risk factor and independent.

Sleeping less than five hours after age 60 can double the risk of Alzheimer’s and increase mortality in older adults (Illustrative Image Infobae)

Regarding the mechanisms that could explain this association, the text cites processes such as neuroinflammationmetabolic deterioration and insufficient clearance of toxic proteins, particularly the accumulation of beta-amyloid linked to Alzheimer’s, but recognizes that more studies are required on the specific role of sleep duration.

“Our data suggest that short sleep in middle age increases the risk of dementia and not only reflects an early symptom of the disease. The factor is not explained by mental health or cardiovascular problems,” the publication summarizes. The report concludes that promoting adequate “sleep hygiene” in middle age could integrate prevention campaigns against dementia in high-risk populations.

Maintaining regular sleep schedules and adequate environmental conditions helps prevent chronic sleep deficit (Illustrative Image Infobae)

The doctor Stella Maris Valiensi (MN 94777), neurologist in charge of the Sleep Medicine section of the Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires and author of the book The dream routeprovided Infobae with the following recommendations for a good rest:

• Maintain regular schedules of dream: Always try to get up at the same time.
• Achieve adequate environmental conditions for sleepingsuch as a comfortable temperature, darkness and silence.
• Avoid large meals close to bedtime. Do not consume caffeine after 5:00 p.m., whether in the form of coffee or other drinks.
• Avoid alcoholsince it can fragment sleep.

Regular physical activity and reducing exposure to screens at night promote rest and brain health (Illustrative Image Infobae)

• Limit stimulant substances in the afternoon.
• Reduce time in bed: “If you don’t fall asleep within 20 or 30 minutes, change the environment, relax and try again,” Valiensi advised.
• Avoid long naps: do not exceed 30 minutes.
• Do regular physical exercisepreferably in the morning.
• Reduce exposure to screens at night.
• Repeat night routines prepare to sleep.
• Practice relaxation before going to bed.
• Do not self-medicate to sleep.

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