Insomniac older adults at risk of progressive memory decline
Having just discovered that insomnia influences memory performance in later life, researchers at Concordia University in Canada point out that older adults with insomnia are at greatest risk of developing memory decline as well as long-term cognitive impairment.
Their study focusing on sleep quality and sleep disorders was based on self-evaluation data from more than 26,000 participants of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, in addition to neuropsychological testing, in 2019 through 2022.
Insomnia is classified as a psychological disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the primary reference handbook used by physicians worldwide.
According to a postdoctoral fellow at the Sleep, Cognition, and Neuroimaging Lab at Concordia University, Nathan Cross, insomnia is not just tossing and turning for a time before bed: “A diagnosis requires symptoms of difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or waking too early three nights a week over a period of three months. Additionally, those with insomnia must report that [insomnia] causes them difficulty in the daytime.”
From the study, participants who had reported worsening of sleep quality – from having no symptoms to some or probable insomnia, or from some symptoms to probable insomnia – were more likely to report memory decline or have it diagnosed by their physician.
They were also more likely to show higher prevalence of anxiety, depression, daytime sleepiness, have breathing interruptions during sleep, other sleep-related issues, smoking. and a greater body mass index (BMI) score – all considered risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia.
Another discovery was that men with insomnia had performed worse on memory tests than women, suggesting that older men may be at greater risk.
“However, there is some good news: sleep disorders like insomnia can be treated,” Cross said. “This highlights the importance of properly diagnosing and managing insomnia as early as possible in older adults. Adequately treating insomnia disorder might become an important preventive measure for cognitive decline and mitigate the incidence of dementia in later life.”
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