Study links sleeping hours to Alzheimer's disease
Long-sleeping can cause a decline in cognitive function and, in the long run, Alzheimer's disease, a study suggests. / Korea Times file
By Lee Jin-a
The longer you sleep, the greater your chance of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study.
Doctors at the National Cancer Center and Myongji Hospital said on Wednesday that long-sleeping can cause a decline in cognitive function and, in the long run, Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the team, those sleeping eight to nine hours a day had a higher risk of developing cognitive disorders (38 percent) and Alzheimer’s (42 percent) than those sleeping seven to eight hours.
Analyzing 10 studies published in international academic journals from 2009 to last year, the researchers found that longer sleeping hours increased the chances that cognitive function would be reduced, regardless of age, sex and region.
“Sleeping for longer periods of time could increase the prevalence of inflammation-related biomarkers, thus promoting neural reactions that can result in diseases like Alzheimer’s,” said Myung Seung-kwon, a doctor from the National Cancer Center. “Although the study needs further research, cutting down sleeping hours by an hour could be an option to consider for preventing Alzheimer’s.”
The team also said that the National Sleep Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, recommends nine to 11 hours as the ideal amount of sleep for children (aged six to 13), eight to 10 hours for teenagers (14 to 17), seven to nine hours for adults (18 to 64) and seven to eight hours for those aged 65 and over.
The study was published in the academic journal Neuroepidemiology last month.