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A team of neurologists from the University of California, San Francisco, analyzed sleep quality and cognitive abilities in about 600 individuals with an average age of 40. The findings revealed that poor sleep in this age group was “associated with nearly three years of additional brain aging,” said Dr. Clemence Kavaies.
This finding held even after accounting for factors such as sex, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Poor sleep primarily refers to difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, the researchers explained.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
At the start of the study—and again five years later—about 600 volunteers completed a questionnaire about their nighttime sleep. Fifteen years into the study, participants underwent brain scans. The research team aimed to determine how the structure of their brains had changed, as reported by the Independent.
The questionnaire asked about six signs of poor sleep: short sleep duration, low sleep quality, trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, early waking, and daytime sleepiness.
Participants were divided into three groups. The first group, with low levels of poor sleep, included people who reported no more than one of these problems. The second group, with moderate levels, consisted of those who identified two to three of the characteristics. The third group, with high levels, included people who reported more than three problems.
The results showed that individuals in the second group had an average brain age that was 1.6 years older than those in the first group. Participants in the third group had an average brain age that was 2.6 years older than those in the first group.
“Previous studies have linked sleep problems to poor thinking and memory in older age, increasing the risk of developing dementia. Our study, which used brain scans to determine participants’ brain age, confirmed that poor sleep is associated with nearly three years of additional brain aging even in middle age,” noted Dr. Clemence Kavaies.
Her colleague, Christine Yaffe, added, “Our results emphasize the importance of addressing sleep issues early in life to maintain brain health.” Yaffe said attention should be given to sleep routines, physical activity, and relaxation techniques. She also advised avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
“Future research should focus on finding new methods to improve sleep and studying its long-term effects on the brain health of young people,” Ms. Yaffe stated.
The findings were published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
What Do Other Scientists Think?
Authors of another Yale University study, also published in Neurology, found that high-quality sleep combined with physical activity, healthy eating, and quitting smoking helps reduce the risk of stroke, dementia, and depression in older age. Their results are based on data from over 316,000 adults in the UK Biobank, which contains health and lifestyle information on more than half a million Britons.
According to the authors, maintaining four key indicators—body weight, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar—within a healthy range is crucial for overall brain health.
