Do you feel much sleepier than usual during the day? Or is it just fatigue?
A new study has recently revealed that the symptom of daytime sleepiness may indicate a high risk of dementia and cognitive decline in older people.
A new study discovered daydreaming, or rather somnolence during the day, a propensity to drowsiness many elderly regard as a pet peeve, may be a precursor to a more serious health issue.
In a new study, those who were extremely drowsy and didn’t want to do anything had a much stronger likelihood to develop motoric cognitive risk syndrome, which can double the chance of developing dementia and is also related to memory-based issues and gait impairments.
The researchers analyzed several sleep quality aspects for more than three years, having followed over 400 older adults. The study has found that daytime dysfunction, although a standout feature, was not specifically correlated with most sleep problems.
MCR occurred 3.3 times as frequently in participants who report low daytime alertness than in those with high energy.
According to the lead author of the research, Dr. Victoire Leroy, sleep is vital in the operation of the brain.
It may temporarily disable the removal of toxins by the brain, a mechanism that may lead to an increase in proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease in their concentrations, according to researchers.
With further research, the hope is that addressing sleep dysfunction could provide a new way to combat cognitive decline.