Sleep may be pivotal in curbing dementia risk

We all either know or have heard of someone in our circle affected by dementia. And if you haven’t you will. There are 64,000 people with dementia in Ireland and the number of people with the condition will more than double in the next 25 years to over 150,000 by 2045.

With 1.5 million Irish people or approximately 30% of the population over the age of 60 this is going to be an increasingly enormous social and economic issue.

This is because age is the greatest risk factor in untreatable neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

But that doesn’t mean because you’re younger you can escape. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland says there are 11,000 new cases of dementia in Ireland each year, which is at least 30 people every day. One in 10 people diagnosed with dementia in Ireland are under 65.

refers to a cluster of symptoms associated with brain decline. The most common cause of dementia is  disease, a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills.

Dementia is progressive and there is currently no cure.

So, while we pray for the scientists to find a cure, we are advised to do what we can to reduce the risk factors. Two recent studies suggest that sleep could be crucial in curbing that risk.

Researchers at the in Boston found that risk of dementia was double among participants who reported getting less than five hours of sleep compared to those who reported seven to eight hours of sleep per night. The team also found associations between sleep disturbance and sleep deficiency with overall risk of death.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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