From a given age, you should sleep for a certain amount of time each night.
According to a research, the optimal quantity of sleep for medium to older persons has been determined.
According to experts from Cambridge University and Fudan University in China, both too much and too little sleep are linked to poor cognitive function and mental health. Scientists analysed data from the UK Biobank, which included almost half a million persons aged 38 to 73. All of the participants were questioned about their sleeping habits, mental health, and well-being, as well as performing cognitive tests.
For over 400,000 of the individuals, genetic data and brain imaging were available, and the researchers' study revealed that seven hours of sleep was the best number for peak cognitive function, including processing speed, visual attention, memory, and problem-solving abilities.
It was also best for mental health, with respondents reporting higher anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as a worse overall sense of well-being, whether they slept for longer or shorter periods of time. The interruption of slow-wave – "deep" – sleep, according to the researchers, might be one explanation for the link between inadequate sleep and cognitive deterioration.
Disruption of this kind of sleep has been linked to memory consolidation and the accumulation of amyloid – a crucial protein that, when misfolded, may generate "tangles" in the brain, which are hallmark of certain types of dementia. Furthermore, a lack of sleep may impair the brain's capacity to eliminate poisons.
"While we can't claim clearly that too little or too much sleep causes cognitive impairments," said Fudan University's Professor Jianfeng Feng, "our research looking at people over a longer period of time tends to corroborate this concept." The causes for worse sleep in older adults seem to be complicated, impacted by a mix of our genetic make-up and brain anatomy."
The results show that inadequate or excessive sleep duration may be a risk factor for cognitive deterioration as people age, according to the researchers. Previous research has shown a relationship between sleep length and the likelihood of acquiring Alzheimer's disease and dementia, both of which include cognitive loss as a symptom.
"Getting a good night's sleep is vital at all stages of life, but especially as we age," said Professor Barbara Sahakian of Cambridge University's Department of Psychiatry.
"Finding techniques to promote sleep for older individuals might be critical to helping them retain excellent mental health and wellbeing and minimise cognitive decline, especially for patients with psychiatric illnesses and dementias," says the study.
The study appears in the journal Nature Aging.
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