This Is What’s Best for Your Brain
Bottom Line: Do you have trouble sleeping? You’re not alone. CDC data shows an average of 37% of adults failing to sleep a minimum of seven hours per day – the recommended level to maintain optimum health. In Florida, our sleep habits are even worse with about 39% of adults failing to sleep enough. But aside from frequently feeling sluggish and less sharp than you’d like to feel, what are the implications?
While a lot of sleep research has been done over time, much of it has been in regard to the body’s ability to restore and heal itself. New research shows the impact prolonged sleep problems can have on your brain. A new study published eBioMedicine, a medical journal of The Lancet, shows that your brain may be taking the brunt of your inability to get a good night’s sleep.
The study, of over 27,000 middle-aged and older adults found people who regularly sleep less than seven hours a day had brains that were chronologically older than their age. Those chronically sleep deprived had brains that aged by about a year beyond their actual age with those who’re somewhat sleep deprived having brains that were about seven months older. Also, the researchers linked the accelerated brain aging with increased likelihood of cognitive decline including potentially elevated risk for dementia.
So that’s all of the negative stuff. In happier news there’s this... They identified five sleep habits that are consistent with those who have healthy brains:
- Sleeping between seven to eight hours per day
- Being an early riser as opposed to a night owl
- Rare bouts of insomnia
- Not snoring
- Not feeling the need to sleep during the day
Researchers found that only 41% of adults maintain four of those five characteristics and thus have healthy brains. But the better news is that if you can maintain at least four of those five conditions you’re likely to have a healthier brain.