If you're looking for good reason to get a good night's sleep, this latest sleep-driven study published in Neurology online may finally encourage you to do so.
The study conducted by Claire Sexton, author, revealed that a person who suffers from chronic lack of sleep may experience a reduction in brain volume. This can be a huge health problem since it can lead to memory-related disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
For the study, the research team chose more than 145 adult participants of different demographics. Their sleeping patterns were then tracked over a period of many years with MRI scans performed every 3 ½ years. They also filled out questionnaires that asked more in detail about their sleeping habits and whether they take medications to doze off.
The results then suggested that 1/3 of the participants suffer from chronic bad sleep. Moreover, those bad sleepers showed quick brain volume decline, especially for those who are at least 60 years old.
Nevertheless, Sexton makes it clear that the study doesn't directly answer the question whether the decline is a cause or an effect of lack of sleep. It simply suggests there might be a connection between the two. In an e-mail, she reasoned that the issue may be the complete opposite-that is, the brain volume decline leads to poor sleep.
She also mentioned that her study doesn't undermine the previous ones that showed other factors may cause brain shrinkage such as high cholesterol and lack of physical activity. Rather, sleep may be one of the contributing factors.
She hoped, however, that by studying sleeping habits she can find a way to enhance brain health.
Many studies reveal the many side effects of lack of sleep. Sleep loss is a safety hazard. It is also a major cause of different serious disorders like heart attack, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and irregular heartbeat. Chronic sufferers are also at risk of developing obesity and other metabolic disorders caused by hormonal imbalances.