September 23, 2022

According to Canadian researchers, middle-aged and older adults with insomnia are at higher risk for long-term memory and cognitive impairment.

It’s now a proven fact: our lifestyle plays a key role in preventing cognitive decline. It would make it possible to keep certain pathologies, such as Alzheimer’s disease, at bay.

Sleep is an essential part of this hygiene. Proof of that is with this new Canadian work published in the journal Sleep. The researchers collected sleep and memory questionnaires from more than 26,000 people between the ages of 45 and 85. Everyone was divided into groups based on whether they had no sleep problems at the start of the study, had some symptoms of insomnia, or suffered from chronic insomnia. These participants then underwent various neuropsychological assessments between 2019 and 2022.

It appears that people who reported a deterioration in sleep quality over those 3 years — from no symptoms to occasional insomnia, or from occasional insomnia to chronic insomnia — were more likely to report memory loss or receive such a diagnosis from their doctor.

In addition, insomniacs (those who were or became) had an increased risk of anxiety, depression, daytime sleepiness, sleep apnea, had higher smoking prevalence, and higher BMI, well-known risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia.

” That said, there is good news notes Nathan Cross, study co-author and researcher at Concordia University’s Sleep, Cognition and Neuroimaging Laboratory. ” There are treatments to fix sleep disorders like insomnia. Hence the importance of early and appropriate diagnosis and treatment of cases of insomnia in the elderly. Appropriate treatment could be an important measure to prevent cognitive decline and help reduce the risk of dementia in old age. »

What is insomnia?

As Cross recalls, Insomnia is more than tossing and turning in bed for a while before falling asleep. The diagnosis is based on specific symptoms, such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep or waking up early for at least three nights a week for a period of three months. If this is the case for you, do not hesitate to ask your doctor for advice.