Get proper sleep if you want to cut down on risk of dementia

Having good sleep is linked to lesser risks of developing dementia and premature death, a recent study has suggested.
The study was conducted on Japanese adults who were above the age of 60. Out of 1,517 adults ,who were studied for 10 years, 294 developed dementia and 282 died. Those who slept less were found to have more chances of developing dementia and dying, however, those who slept less but had a high level of physical activity did not have a higher risk of dementia and death.
“Given the beneficial effects of physical activity on risk of sleep disturbance, these findings indicate that not only maintenance of appropriate sleep duration, but also modification of lifestyle behaviours related to sleep may be an effective strategy for preventing dementia and premature death in elderly adults,” wrote the authors.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Another study which had appeared in the journal Neurology, determined that a good night’s sleep is essential for avoiding dementia. The team studied 321 participants who were above the age of 60. The study also found that the sleep should have the least amount of disturbance.
Spending less time in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep – which is when most of our dreams take place – and taking a longer time to enter REM sleep can lead to a higher risk of dementia.