A new study published in Neurology® suggests that poor sleep quality in early middle age may lead to signs of accelerated brain aging. Researchers call for improvements in sleep habits to safeguard brain health.
Poor sleep quality in early middle age might be linked to faster brain aging, according to a new study published in the October 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Researchers from the University of California San Francisco found an association between sleep difficulties and signs of brain aging among middle-aged individuals. This study doesn’t establish causality but reveals a concerning correlation.
“Sleep problems have been linked in previous research to poor thinking and memory skills later in life, putting people at higher risk for dementia,” study author Clémence Cavaillès, a doctoral scholar of psychiatry in UCSF’s School of Medicine, said in a news release.
The study tracked 589 individuals who began with an average age of 40.
Over 15 years, the participants’ sleep quality and brain health were assessed through questionnaires and brain scans. The participants answered questions regarding their sleep habits, such as difficulties in falling asleep, staying asleep and experiencing daytime sleepiness.
The participants were categorized based on their sleep characteristics into three groups. Most participants (70%) had no more than one poor sleep characteristic, while 22% had two to three and 8% had more than three.
Using machine learning to determine brain age based on brain scans, the researchers found that people with more poor sleep characteristics had older brain ages. Those in the middle group had an average brain age 1.6 years older, while the high group had an average brain age 2.6 years older than those with fewer sleep issues.
Bad sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep and early morning awakening, particularly when experienced consistently over a five-year period, were linked to greater brain age, underscoring the need for consistent sleep habits.
“Our findings highlight the importance of addressing sleep problems earlier in life to preserve brain health, including maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, exercising, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before going to bed and using relaxation techniques,” added study author Kristine Yaffe, a professor of psychiatry, neurology and epidemiology at UCSF and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study highlights the imperative for future research to focus on improving sleep quality and understanding its long-term impact on brain health.
For those seeking advice on better sleep practices, resources are available at Brain and Life, the American Academy of Neurology’s platform focused on brain health.