Malaysia7-8 Hours Sleep Lowers Dementia Risk
A new study finds that sleeping 7-8 hours per night can lower the risk of dementia, while prolonged sitting and lack of physical activity increase the risk. The study analyzed data from 69 previous studies and included nearly 4.5 million people.
Global Newsflix 2 min read
Researchers at York University in Canada found that sleeping less than 7 hours per night was associated with an 18% increase in dementia risk, while sleeping more than 8 hours was associated with a 28% increase.
The study also found that prolonged sitting, more than 8 hours a day, and a lack of physical activity, less than 150 minutes a week, were linked to a significant increase in dementia risk.
The researchers analyzed data from 69 previous studies, which included nearly 4.5 million people, and found that 7-8 hours of sleep per night was the optimal amount for minimizing dementia risk.
Mathias Basner, director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, said that sufficient, high-quality, regular sleep is of paramount importance for wellbeing, daytime performance, and health.
The study's findings are supported by another study that found that getting more REM sleep was associated with a lower risk of developing 83 diseases, including heart failure and dementia.
Sleep specialist Dr. Erin Creighton said that sleep quality can play a major role in long-term health, including the risk of heart failure, and that a recent study examined the sleep patterns of 95,000 people using a wristwatch-type device.
The study found that greater amounts of REM sleep were associated with a lower risk of dozens of diseases, and that more deep sleep was associated with a lower risk of seven conditions, including type 2 diabetes.
Key facts
- 7-8 hours of sleep per night can lower dementia risk
- Prolonged sitting and lack of physical activity increase dementia risk
- Sleeping less than 7 hours per night increases dementia risk by 18%
- Sleeping more than 8 hours per night increases dementia risk by 28%
Three perspectives
Neutral
The study's findings suggest that getting the right amount of sleep and being physically active can help lower the risk of dementia. However, more research is needed to confirm the findings and understand the relationship between sleep, physical activity, and dementia.
Positive
The study's findings are a positive step towards understanding the relationship between sleep and dementia, and could lead to the development of new strategies for preventing and treating the disease.
Negative
The study's findings are concerning, as they suggest that many people may be at risk of dementia due to poor sleep habits and lack of physical activity. More needs to be done to raise awareness of the importance of sleep and physical activity for brain health.
Your week in news, every Wednesday
The biggest stories of the week for your edition, in your inbox every Wednesday morning, your time. Free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.