Indeed, Pase noted that his research group would like to understand why a lower amount of REM sleep is tied to an increased risk of dementia. The research points to the need for closer follow-up to recognize signs of dementia in patients with decreased REM sleep, she added. Because REM sleep is thought to be related to how the brain processes and retains memories, the new findings make sense, she said dementia is, in part, marked by memory problems. "The current literature is mixed and mostly identifies inadequate 'slow wave sleep' as a risk, but these have been much shorter-duration studies," Agarwal told Live Science. Pinky Agarwal, a neurologist at EvergreenHealth in Washington and a professor of neurology at the University of Washington. "The study is valuable, since it has identified inadequate REM sleep as correlating with dementia risk," said Dr. The results held up even after the researchers adjusted for other factors that could affect dementia risk or poor sleep, such as heart disease, depression and medication use.Īlso, the time that the people spent in stages of non-REM sleep was not associated with dementia risk, the study found. The researchers found that for every 1-percent reduction in REM sleep, there was a 9-percent increase in the risk of dementia. The people who developed dementia spent an average of 17 percent of their sleep time in REM sleep, compared with 20 percent for those who did not develop dementia. During that time, 32 people (about 10 percent) were diagnosed with some form of dementia among those 32 people, 24 were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The researchers collected sleep data approximately half way through the as they followed the participants for an average of 12 years. These people were already part of an ongoing, larger study on heart health. In the new study, the researchers looked at more than 320 people in the U.S.
More than 10 percent of Americans over age 65 have some form of dementia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But details about which types of sleep are associated with dementia and long-term cognitive decline have been lacking. This requires further study."ĭoctors have long known that poor sleep can result in mental and emotional health problems. "On the other hand, perhaps lower REM is caused by other potential dementia risk factors, such as heightened anxiety and stress. "On one hand, REM may help protect connections within the brain that are vulnerable to damage with aging and Alzheimer's disease," Pase told Live Science.
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