Sleeping between 6 and 8 hours per night would slow cognitive disorders in seniors 65 years and over according to a study. Reading regularly would also be effective.
Each year, the number of people with dementia keeps increasing. Today, around 35 million people have it. According to the World Alzheimer Report, the figure could reach 100 million cases of dementia by 2050. Following these alarmist forecasts, more and more researchers are trying to find a way to slow the development of cognitive disorders , often associated with dementia, in seniors over 65. The results of a Spanish study, published in the scientific journal Revista from Clinical investigation, provide some answers.
Sleep between 6 and 8 hours
To understand what could help slow cognitive disorders, researchers from the Department of Pharmacology at CEU University of Valencia followed 245 seniors aged 65 and over. Everyone agreed to fill out a questionnaire on their lifestyle, sleeping habits, eating habits, etc. Among the participants, 12% of them were affected by mild cognitive disorders often heralding Alzheimer’s disease and others. forms of dementia.
According to the authors of the study, genetic factors are not the only ones responsible for the decline in cognitive abilities. Age but also factors directly linked to lifestyle such as sleep, intellectual activities and physical activity directly influence it. According to researchers, cognitive impairment increases by 9% with age each year and doubles every decade.
After analyzing the results, the Spanish team found that people who slept more than 8 hours or less than 6 hours per night were 2.6 times more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment.
Researchers also advise seniors to avoid taking a nap in the middle of the day. In case of repeated insomnia, it is recommended to consult.
Reading regularly slows cognitive impairment
After analyzing the questionnaires, the researchers can draw up a second observation. Reading is also essential for maintaining cognitive abilities. According to them, people who have never taken the habit of reading have a 3.7 times risk of experiencing cognitive impairment. For a person reading sporadically, the risk is 2.5 times greater than a regular reader. Like sleep, reading can significantly reduce the risk of cognitive impairment.
Professor Lucrecia Moreno has already launched a second phase in this study. The goal is to develop, with the help of the members of the panel, a health program to improve the cognitive functions of a patient over 65 years old. This new study will focus on promoting cognitive training and how to sleep.
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