A new study published in The Lancet journal suggests that one of the early warning signs of dementia could be in your sleep – with bad dreams appearing years ahead of memory issues
Research indicates that frequent nightmares could be an early indicator of dementia, signalling the condition years before more typical symptoms emerge.
The study, reported in The Lancet journal, highlights how disrupted sleep might precede the cognitive decline associated with dementia. Dr Abidemi Otaiku of the University of Birmingham, who led the research, said: “We’ve demonstrated for the first time that distressing dreams, or nightmares, can be linked to dementia risk and cognitive decline among healthy adults in the general population.
“This is important because there are very few risk indicators for dementia that can be identified as early as middle age. While more work needs to be done to confirm these links, we believe bad dreams could be a useful way to identify individuals at high risk of developing dementia, and put in place strategies to slow down the onset of disease.”
The research involved looking at data from over 600 adults aged 35 to 64 and 2,600 older adults starting at age 79, all from the United States and initially dementia-free. The younger cohort was monitored for nine years on average, while the senior group had an average follow-up of five years, reports the Express.
A recent study has uncovered a startling link between nightmares and cognitive decline, with middle-aged individuals (35-64) who have bad dreams weekly being four times more likely to suffer cognitive deterioration over the next decade. Furthermore, older adults are at double the risk of being diagnosed with dementia.
The research also highlighted a gender disparity; older men plagued by weekly nightmares are five times more likely to develop dementia compared to those without such disturbances, whereas for women, the risk only increased by 41%. The University of Birmingham has called for further investigation to ascertain if nightmares in younger people could predict future dementia risk and whether other aspects of dreaming might serve as indicators.
The Alzheimer’s Society has noted that sleep problems can significantly impact those with dementia, potentially necessitating additional support. They advise: “Over time the person will need more support, especially if your own sleep is often disturbed. If the person you care for is frequently up in the night, it may be possible to have a night sitter.”
“This is a carer who will look after the person with dementia at night, to help you to have a good night’s sleep. A person with dementia and severe sleep problems may need to be cared for by a live-in or visiting carer, or in residential care.”
