Seemingly harmless daily habit may signal increased dementia risk

Key Points:

• A study published in The Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences found that frequent daytime napping among adults aged 65 and older is linked to a higher risk of developing dementia, with frequent nappers having a 48% increased risk compared to those who rarely nap.
• Unintentional naps and shorter naps (30 minutes or less) were also associated with increased dementia risk, even after accounting for nighttime sleep and other health factors.
• Researchers suggest that changes in napping habits may serve as early warning signs of brain changes related to dementia, rather than napping causing dementia directly.
• The study tracked nearly 1,000 older adults over a decade and found that the association between frequent, accidental naps and dementia remained strong even after excluding those diagnosed within the first five years.
• Authors emphasize that daytime napping patterns could be useful indicators of future dementia risk, though the study was observational and did not test whether altering napping behavior affects dementia outcomes.