Study links short sleep and sleep disturbances to accelerated brain aging

ANBAR, Iraq — Researchers from the University of Arizona and the University of Southern Carolina examined data from more than 23,000 middle-aged and older adults to study the relationship between sleep patterns and brain aging. Published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, the study found that three sleep behaviors—sleeping fewer than seven hours or more than nine hours per day, daytime napping, and insomnia—were associated with signs of accelerated brain aging. The team used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan participants' brains and surveys to assess their sleep patterns. Those who slept fewer than seven hours a day showed a higher accumulation of white matter lesions compared with participants who met the recommended sleep duration. White matter lesions are small areas of brain damage that increase with age and are linked over time to a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia. After accounting for factors such as blood pressure, smoking and low physical activity, some indicators—including snoring and sudden daytime drowsiness—lost statistical significance, the researchers said. Findings related to daytime sleep remained uncertain because the survey did not measure sleep duration and timing in detail, and further research is needed, according to the study. Lead researcher Jane Alexander said very short sleep may accelerate the buildup of such lesions, while more studies are required to clarify the effect of long sleep durations.