Frequent daytime napping linked to higher dementia risk in older adults

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 09:20 · Archive

Frequent daytime napping among older adults is associated with a 48% higher risk of developing dementia, according to research from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health tracked nearly 1,000 adults aged 65 and older with no signs of memory or thinking problems when the study began in 2010 or 2013. Over a decade, they found that daily rest habits were linked to long-term brain health outcomes.

The study found that participants who napped frequently, defined as most days or every day, had a 48% higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who rarely or never napped. Naps of 30 minutes or less were associated with a 40% increased dementia risk. Seniors who fell asleep unintentionally during the day had a 39% higher risk. For naps longer than 30 minutes, the association was less pronounced after researchers accounted for nighttime sleep patterns.

The findings remained significant even when researchers excluded participants who received dementia diagnoses within five years of the study's start, suggesting the results were not simply due to undiagnosed early dementia affecting sleep patterns. The research team stressed that examining daytime napping habits provides a clearer picture of overall health than looking at nighttime sleep alone.

How it is being reported

• 3 Signs Your Napping Habit Might Be Linked To Something More SeriousSleep and dementia seem to have a complicated relationship. They do seem to be linked, but it can be very hard to work out whether the condition causes the symptom or vice versa. It may be a mix of both. Some research suggests that while sleeping for a minimum of seven or eight hours a night may be associated with a lower likelihood of developing dementia, over-65s who kip for longer – eight and a half hours or more – might face a higher risk. The other extreme (insomnia) is linked to 40% greater odds of ending up with mild cognitive impairment, sometimes seen as a precursor to conditions…HuffPost UK · 23 Oct, 09:02
• Dementia risk may be linked to seemingly harmless daily habit, new research suggestsEven naps under 30 minutes raised dementia risk 40% in a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study of nearly 1,000 older adults.Fox News · 22 Oct, 19:33

In this story: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health · Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences · United States

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