Decrease in Deep Sleep Increases Dementia Risk in Over 60s: New Study

Study Reveals Each 1% Annual Reduction in Deep Sleep Elevates Dementia Risk by 27% Among Those Aged 60 and Above, Positions Good Sleep Hygiene as Potential Protective Measure

• Each 1% reduction per year in deep sleep, also known as slow wave sleep, among those aged 60 and over is linked to a 27% increased risk of dementia, according to a study led by Associate Professor Matthew Pase from Monash University.
• The study involved 346 participants, over 60 years of age, who were part of the Framingham Heart Study. They completed two overnight sleep studies five years apart, and were subsequently followed for dementia from the second sleep study through to 2018.
• In the 17-year follow-up, 52 participants developed dementia. Findings showed that the amount of deep sleep declined between the two sleep studies, indicating an association between slow wave sleep loss with aging and dementia.
• During deep sleep, the body clears the brain of potential harmful materials, including beta-amyloid proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease. Thus, maintaining or enhancing deep sleep can help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease.
• Despite the link, researchers clarify that it's not yet fully understood if the loss of slow wave sleep is a cause or a result of dementia. However, it could be a modifiable dementia risk factor that warrants further research.

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