Dr. Clemence Cavailles from the University of California San Francisco (USA), who led the study, said that during brain scan analysis, scientists discovered that people with poor sleep quality in early middle age had higher levels of brain shrinkage (a clear sign of brain aging).
The study was conducted on 589 people with an average age of 40. Study participants answered sleep questionnaires and had brain scans 15 years after the study began.
"We used brain scans to determine the participants' brain age, and the results showed that poor sleep was associated with accelerated brain aging, equivalent to nearly three years of brain aging by midlife," Dr Cavailles said.
Poor sleep quality not only accelerates brain aging, but is also linked to memory and thinking decline later in life, increasing the risk of dementia.
The participants' sleep habits were classified into groups according to the level of poor sleep, including: short sleep duration, poor sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early morning awakening, and daytime sleepiness. Based on this, they were divided into three groups according to the level of poor sleep habits: low, medium, and high.
Brain scans detected brain shrinkage, which is used to determine “brain age.” People with moderate levels of poor sleep habits had an average brain age 1.6 years older than those with low levels of poor sleep.
Meanwhile, those with high levels of poor sleep habits had an average brain age 2.6 years older than the good sleep group.
"These findings highlight the importance of addressing sleep problems early to protect brain health," said study author Kristine Yaffe of the University of California San Francisco. "This includes maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, exercising regularly, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, and using relaxation techniques."
This study makes it clear that poor sleep quality can impact brain health as early as midlife. Therefore, improving sleep and implementing early interventions can help protect and maintain long-term brain health.
