Sleeping for Less Than Eight Hours Daily Impairs Memory and Brain Functioning: Study
Too less or too much sleep can be bad for the brain and affects its functioning in later years, according to a study.
Sleep plays an important role in balancing the health and well-being of the body and mind. Work pressure, parental responsibilities and lifestyle largely impact sleep quality in adults. Experts from the Warwick University found sleeping for nearly eight hours affects the brain health and its functioning. They recommend older adults to daily sleep for not less than eight hours to avert the risk of memory loss, cognitive decline and impaired ability to carry out everyday tasks.
Their study examined records of 3,969 men and 4,821 women to note the effects of sleep on brain capacity and health. It was observed participants aged between 50 and 64 who slept for less than six hours daily scored lesser in tests that measured their overall brain activation in old age.
"Sleep is important for good health and mental wellbeing. Optimizing sleep at an older age may help to delay the decline in brain function seen with age, or indeed may slow or prevent the rapid decline that leads to dementia," said Francesco Cappuccio, co-author and professor at the Warwick University, reports the Express.Co.UK.
In seniors between the ages 50 and 64 sleeping for more than eight hours also led to diminished brain capacity. The strongest links were especially seen in subjects aged above 65. But, the trial did not look at the effects of sleep deprivation on the risk of dementia.
"Six to eight hours of sleep per night is particularly important for optimum brain function," said Michelle Miller, lead author and researcher at the Warwick University's Medical School reports the Express.Co.UK.
"These results are consistent with our previous research, which showed that six to eight hours was optimal for physical health, including lowest risk of developing obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke," she adds.
Many people assume that they require less sleep as they get older, the study advocates both young and the older population to get a good night's sleep of eight hour to keep mental illnesses and conditions like Alzheimer's at bay. The authors suggest elders who are unable to complete their daily quota of night sleep can take naps during the day to make up for the shortage.
More information is available online in the journal PloS ONE.
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