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Experts Studied Daytime Habits of Older Adults-One Was Linked to Dementia
Newsweek • • health
Key Points:
- A Johns Hopkins University study found that frequent and longer daytime napping in adults aged 65 and older is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia over a 10-year period.
- Participants who napped most days or daily had a 48% higher dementia risk, while unintentional napping and naps lasting 30 minutes or less were linked to 39% and 40% higher risks, respectively.
- Researchers suggest a possible "two-way" relationship where cognitive decline may increase napping, and napping could also contribute to dementia risk, potentially by disrupting nighttime sleep and affecting brain protein accumulation.
- Experts caution that the study is observational and does not prove causation, emphasizing that changes in napping patterns could serve as early indicators or risk factors for dementia rather than direct causes.
- The findings highlight the importance of monitoring daytime sleep behaviors in older adults to better identify those at higher dementia risk and inform prevention strategies, while recognizing that not all napping is harmful.
