A recent study has shown that lack of sleep in your 40s may accelerate brain aging, with potential effects lasting into the late 50s.
Dr. Kristine Yaffe from the University of California, San Francisco, stated, “Our findings highlight the importance of addressing sleep issues early to maintain brain health, including maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, exercising, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, and using relaxation techniques.”
The study involved approximately 600 adults in their 40s, who completed a sleep survey. Participants were categorized into three groups based on their sleep characteristics to determine the severity of their sleep problems. The low-sleep-problem group included around 70% of participants, who had either no sleep problems or only one of six evaluated issues, such as difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, or early morning awakenings.
The medium-sleep-problem group comprised about 22% of participants, who experienced two or three sleep problems, representing a moderate level of sleep complaints. The high-sleep-problem group consisted of around 8% of participants who faced four to six sleep issues, indicating significantly impacted sleep quality.
After 15 years, accounting for factors like age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, and other factors, brain scans showed that the brains of those in the medium group were an average of 1.6 years older than those in the low group, while the brains of the high group were an average of 2.6 years older.
Among the six sleep habits assessed, poor sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, and waking up early were associated with increased brain aging, especially when individuals experienced these issues for at least five years.
