(WHDH) — A new study alleges poor sleep and the risk of dementia are linked.
The study was published Monday in the JAMA Neurology journal. It shows plaque can build up in the brain when cognitively normal people — 70-years old and older — are excessively sleepy in the daytime.
Depositing plaque in brain tissue is the first known pre-clinical stage of Alzheimer’s. It happens well before any obvious symptoms of dementia begin.
Experts say the connection between sleep and dementia is worrisome. According to the CDC, one in three Americans don’t get enough sleep.
Depending on the age, humans are supposed to get between seven and 10 hours of sleep each night.
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