Timing of sleep patterns may be related to increased sleep duration Dementia riskaccording to a new study.
each person’s circadian rhythmis often defined as the body’s internal 24-hour clock, which keeps the body operating in a healthy sleep-wake pattern. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it also affects other systems in the body.
Most people’s circadian rhythms are automatically regulated, but things like light levels can throw them out of balance.
Warning signs about brain health may be hidden in plain sight, researchers say
People with strong circadian rhythms are usually able to keep to a set schedule. sleep and activityEven if schedules and seasons change, experts say.
When the circadian rhythm weakens, changes in light or schedules can easily disrupt the body’s internal clock, leading to changes in sleep and activity patterns.
The new study, published in the journal Neurology, sought to investigate whether these disruptions play a role in people’s risk of dementia. senior citizen.
Researchers from the Academy of Neurology monitored more than 2,000 people for an average of 12 days, tracking their rest and rhythmic activity.
“A novel aspect of our study is that we derived circadian rhythms from chest-worn ECG patches that are commonly used in clinical practice,” study lead author Dr. Wendy Wang of the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas told FOX News Digital.
Scientists find out that some 80-year-olds have memories of 50-year-olds
The average age of the participants was 79 years, and none had dementia at the time of the study. They were divided into three groups based on the strength of their circadian rhythms.
In the group with the strongest rhythm, 31 out of 728 people developed dementia, while in the group with the weakest rhythm, 106 out of 727 people developed dementia.
After adjusting for factors such as age, blood pressure and heart disease, the researchers found that people in the group with the weakest rhythms had about 2.5 times as many rhythms. Dementia risk.
Researchers identified a possible “U-shaped” link between sleep-wake cycle stability and dementia, noting that people with consistently low activity levels may have less stable circadian rhythms.
For more health stories, click here
People whose activity peaked after 2:15 p.m. had a 45% higher risk of dementia than those whose activity peaked earlier in the day. About 7% of people in the early peak group developed dementia, compared with 10% in the late peak group.
Click here to sign up for our health newsletter
This study had several limitations. Regarding data sleep disordersobstructive sleep apnea syndrome and sleep breathing disorder were not available. Wang noted that further research is needed to understand the possible link.
Researchers also recommended that people: strong circadian rhythm It is “well-aligned” with the 24 hours in a day.
Test yourself with our latest lifestyle quiz
“People with strong circadian rhythms often adhere to regular sleep and activity times,” she says.
“However, it is important to note that our study did not prove that irregular circadian rhythms cause dementia, only that an association was observed.”
