I know we go on and on and on about the importance of a quality night’s sleep. But there is a reason for the harping—just about every day there seems to be a new study or report about the far-reaching effects of sleep, and the lack of it.
The latest ties disruptive sleep to early-onset dementia. Now that’s got you attention.
NYU Langone Medical Center research, involving 2,500 patients ages 55 to 90, determined that those experiencing nighttime eathing disturbances such as obstructive sleep apnea were subject to mild cognitive impairment, such as memory loss, at least 11 years earlier than what might otherwise be expected—in one study at the age of 72 rather than 83.
More research is needed to determine if it is a loss of oxygen that is ultimately causing impairment or some other aspect of sleep disruption.
--Sarah Hagerty
