Older adults who have sleep issues have nearly a 30% increased risk of developing dementia, according to a new meta-analysis. The research, which was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, & Psychiatry, analyzed data on 51 studies of middle-aged and older people in North America, Europe, and East Asia to see if there was a link between sleep issues and mental health over time. The researchers discovered that a slew of common sleep problems were linked to a higher risk of developing dementia. People with insomnia (a sleep disorder that’s marked by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep) had a 27% increased risk of developing dementia.
Those who had sleep inadequacy, which is defined by not getting enough sleep, were 25% more likely to develop dementia. People who had sleep inefficiency, i.e. they spent too much time awake in bed, had a 24% higher risk of dementia. And…
