Inserm estimates that 15 to 20% of the French population suffer from insomnia. Including 9% severe forms, causing a significant impact on their daily life. Sleeping well is essential, to face the day that follows, for our mood, our memory, our attention, for our general health, and for the aging of our brainaccording to a recent study published in the journal Neurology.
Accelerated aging of the brain
589 people aged around 40 were followed for 15 years by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco. What this study was interested in was the quality of their sleep. Did they have trouble falling asleep? Did they wake up several times a night? They were asked several questions of this type. And at the end of this period, everyone underwent a brain scan.
By studying these images and the answers to questions about sleep, researchers were able to establish a link between sleeping poorly and seeing your brain “age” prematurely. “Our results suggest that poor sleep is associated with almost three years of additional brain aging,” explains Dr. Cavaillès, head of the study.
In people who systematically slept poorly for five years, brain aging was noted. To more precisely define what they mean by “bad sleep”, the researchers chose six criteria:
- short sleep
- difficulty falling asleep
- early morning awakenings
- difficulty staying asleep
- daytime sleepiness
- poor quality of sleep
Sleep disorders, when to consult?
They remind us of the importance of treating sleep disorders in people who suffer from them, without delay. As a reminder, health insurance details that “the main causes of insomnia in adults are stress, anxiety and depression”.
In the long term, sleep disorders can cause depression, reduced motivation and efficiencya reduction in immune defenses against infections, an increased risk of obesity and diabetes. If you have been sleeping poorly for several weeks, talk to your doctor, advises Health Insurance.
Source: www.topsante.com
