Does poor sleep make your brain age faster?

Sleep is good for our overall health.

A lack of quality sleep has numerous side effects, such as difficulty in concentration, low motivation, increased appetite, fatigue and more.

However, a new study has found poor sleep quality in early middle age could also be linked to signs of faster brain ageing later in life.

Here’s how.

What is the study about?

Published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, the study followed 589 people with an average age of 40 at the start.

Participants completed sleep questionnaires focused on six sleep characteristics: short sleep duration, bad sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, early morning awakening and daytime sleepiness.

Five years later, they completed the same survey. Then, 15 years after the study began, researchers examined participants’ brain scans where the level of brain shrinkage corresponded to a specific age.

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The scans helped researchers estimate the age of each participant’s brain based on signs of brain shrinkage, a known marker of ageing.

Participants were grouped based on their sleep habits. Those in the low-risk group had one or no sleep problems, the middle group had two or three, and the high-risk group had more than three.

They filled out the same survey five years later. Then, 15 years after the trial started, researchers looked at brain scans of the individuals, finding that the degree of brain shrinkage matched an age.

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The scans assisted researchers in determining each participant’s brain age by looking for indications of brain shrinkage, a recognised indicator of ageing.

The participants were divided into groups according to how they slept. One or no sleep issues were experienced by those in the low-risk group, two or three by those in the medium group, and more than three by those in the high-risk group.

About 70 per cent of participants were initially in the low-risk group, 22 per cent were in the middle-risk group, and eight per cent were in the high-risk group.

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What are its findings?

According to the study, those in their 40s who struggled to fall or stay asleep showed higher symptoms of brain ageing by the time they were in their late 50s.

The findings suggest the average brain age of the middle group was 1.6 years older than that of the low group, while the average brain age of the high group was 2.6 years older.

“Of the sleep characteristics, bad sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep and early morning awakening were linked to greater brain age, especially when people consistently had these poor sleep characteristics over five years,” a news release for the study noted.

A limitation of the study was that participants reported their own sleep problems, which could include inaccuracies.

The study demonstrates a high correlation between brain health deterioration and sleep deprivation, but it does not prove that sleep deprivation accelerates brain ageing.

“Previous research has linked sleep problems to poor memory and thinking skills later in life, increasing the risk for dementia,” said study lead author, Dr Clemence Cavailles from the University of California, San Francisco.

“Our findings suggest that poor sleep in middle age is connected to nearly three extra years of brain ageing.”

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What are the risks of faster brain ageing?

Dr. Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist specialising in behavioural sleep medicine and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis, who was not part of the study, told CBS News that accelerated brain ageing is associated with cognitive decline, memory issues and an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia.

“When the brain ages prematurely, it can lead to a host of difficulties in daily functioning and mental clarity, significantly impacting the quality of life,” she said, adding, “Understanding these risks emphasizes the importance of prioritising sleep as part of a healthy lifestyle.”

Dr Fouzia Siddiqui, medical director of the sleep centre at Sentara RMH Medical Centre, who was also not part of the study, told the channel that the risk of rapid brain ageing also includes issues with focus, attention, and concentration, as well as mood-related issues including irritation, anger, and outbursts.

“Improving sleep would improve these symptoms as well,” she said.

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How does good sleep heal your body?

According to a different study that was also published in Neurology, maintaining an active lifestyle, quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep may all help reduce the risk of stroke, dementia, and depression in later life.

Further research suggests that maintaining four metrics within a healthy range — body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar — may benefit brain health overall, the US researchers said, as per The Independent.

It has been demonstrated that these behaviours, which are referred to as Life’s Essential 8, slow down ageing and support heart health.

The results are based on information from over 316,000 persons in the UK Biobank, which has over half a million Britons’ lifestyle and medical records.

Study author Dr Santiago Clocchiatti-Tuozzo, of Yale University in the US and member of the American Academy of Neurology, was quoted as saying: “Brain health is paramount for the optimal well-being of every person, enabling us to function at our highest level and constantly adapt in the world.

“Our study found that making these healthy lifestyle choices in middle age can have meaningful impacts on brain health later in life.”

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How to improve sleep quality?

Fortunately, improving your sleep hygiene may be all it takes to enhance the quality of your sleep.

“The ideal way of improving your sleep is prioritising your sleep,” Siddiqui said.

This includes getting enough sleep, having an optimal sleep environment and avoiding disruptive pre-sleep activities like watching television in bed or using phones and other electronic devices.

“You may want to develop activities that help and are conducive to good sleep, such as breathing techniques, meditation, prayers, and relaxation,” she advised.

Other ideas to improve sleep are:

• Transform your bedroom into a dark, quiet and cool oasis.

• Follow a consistent sleep schedule. This helps in training your brain to recognise when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to wake. Adults need at least seven hours of sleep per night.

• Create a relaxing bedtime routine.

• Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake.

With inputs from agencies