We sleep less and less. Blame it on screens, our new nightlife habits, work rhythms and our food. As a result, the sleep time of the French continues to decline, to the chagrin of our health. Fatigue, high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol are the direct consequences of nights that are too short. According to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications, six hours or less sleep per night between the ages of 50 and 70 is also associated with an increased risk of dementia. A worrying finding.
More than 20 to 40% risk
To carry out their study, researchers from Inserm, the University of Paris and University College London (UCL) followed nearly 8,000 Britons for twenty-five years. They thus studied the link between the duration of sleep according to their age and the risk of developing dementia. As a result, the risk of dementia was 20 to 40% higher in people whose sleep duration was less than or equal to six hours per night by the age of 50 or 60 years. The risk was even greater for people aged 50 to 70 who consistently had a short sleep duration (30%).
These results once again underline the importance of sleep and good sleep hygiene for health, especially that of the brain. And to find Morpheus’ arms more easily, you don’t necessarily need medication. Returning to physical exercise, relaxing when needed and creating an environment conducive to sleep … can be able to rock us effectively.
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