Summary: A recent study found that women in their 80s who experience more daytime sleepiness over the course of five years are twice as likely to produce delirium. Using wristwatches to track sleep and circadian rhythms, scientists tracked 733 people without cognitive impairment.
The risk of dementia was lowest for those who maintained robust sleep patterns, whereas the risk was highest for those who became more restless. Interestingly, declining daytime nap was not significantly related to memory threat.
Important Information:
- People who are becoming more sleepy during the day were twice as likely to develop memory.
- No conclusive evidence linking nighttime sleep drop: Decreased nighttime sleep did not significantly raise the risk of dementia.
- Sleep as a beginning indicator: Changes in circadian rhythms and sleepiness may be the first indications of cognitive decline.
AAN as the cause
According to a research published on March 19, 2025, online in , Neurology, having more sleepiness during the day over a five-year phase is associated with a double the risk of memory for people in their 80s.  ,
The review only demonstrates an association between daytime sleepiness and memory.
Sleep is necessary for mental health because it allows the mind to relax and refresh, enhancing our ability to think clearly and retain information, according to research writer Yue Leng, PhD, of the University of California, San Francisco.
” But, little is known about how changes in sleeping and thinking are interconnected over time and how they relate to dementia risk in later life. Our study found that women in their 80s may have an early symbol or risk factor for dementia because sleep problems are related to mental aging.
Scientists looked at 733 women individuals with an average age of 83 who didn’t have mild cognitive impairment or memory at the start of the research for the purposes of the investigation. They were followed for five more times.
During the study, 93 participants, or 13 %, developed dementia, and 164, or 22 %, developed mild cognitive impairment.
At the start and finish of the study, participants wore wristwatches to record their daily rhythms and sleep patterns for three weeks.
Researchers examined changes in daily music patterns, nighttime snoring patterns, and daytime rest duration and quality.
More than half of the participants, or 56 %, experienced significant changes in their sleeping patterns after five years, according to researchers.
Participants in the study were divided into three categories: 44 % for stable sleep or marginally improved sleep; 35 % for declining sleep at night; and 21 % for increasing sleepiness.
Declining daytime nap resulted in decreases in sleep quality and period, modest increases in sitting, and worsening daily rhythms. Growing lethargy was accompanied by increases in both daytime and nighttime sleep length and value, as well as worsening daily rhythms.
Finally, researchers examined the relationship between these changes and dementia risk.
25 % of those in the stable sleep team passed away from memory. 39, or 15 %, of the nighttime sleep group, went into memory. 29 people, or 19 %, in the growing group of people with dementia.
After taking into account age, education, culture, and health factors like diabetes and high blood pressure, researchers discovered that participants in the increasing lethargy group had twice the risk of dementia as compared to those in the firm sleep group. The declining overnight sleep group had no connection found.
According to Leng,” we observed that people in their 80s can experience dramatic changes in sleeping, napping, and daily patterns over just five years.”
This “underlines the need for future research to look at all aspects of daily sleep trends” to better understand how changes in these designs can be attributed to memory risk.
Because the study included mostly white people, the findings cannot be applied to more various populations. This is a drawback.
The National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Aging provided cash for the review.
About this study project on memory, aging, and sleep.
Renee Tessman, the writer
Source: AAN
Contact: Renee Tessman – AAN
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: The studies will be published in Neurology.
