Brussels, Europe Brief News – Older adults who doze off excessively during the day have a high risk of developing dementia. Long day naps might seem to be normal among older adults but there might be an underlying problem. These adults are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. According to a new study, daytime naps are associated with an increased risk of dementia.
Older adults are 40 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease if they are napping in the daytime. Such people usually snooze off for more than an hour during the day. Once they have developed Alzheimer’s disease, the duration of naps increases.
The Daytime sleep behaviors are ignored and are not taken into any consideration. According to results of recent research on dementia in older adults who have excessive daytime, napping can be the signal of an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s dementia. It can also be a sign of the deteriorating clinical progression of the disease.
Older Adults At High Risk Of Dementia Enjoy A Long Duration Of Sleep
The average duration of daytime naps might increase to 11 minutes and this may be a sign that they developed cognitive problems. Scientists have revealed that napping tends to become common at an older age due to a variety of issues. It is due to the more frequent awakenings for urination and the disruption of sleep due to different reasons.
The average duration of daytime naps increases twice among people who are showing signals of dementia. They might also be diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. The naptime durations also surge three times as fast among people who have developed Alzheimer’s disease. There is a strong connection between dementia and excessive daytime napping. Nighttime awakenings could affect the quality of sleep and this could result in daily naps as well.
The quality or quantity of sleep must be considered carefully so that any early signs of dementia could be detected. Some devices have been introduced that help in tracking the movement and sleep cycle. According to scientists the long stretches when the older adults are motionless indicate naps.
The elderly population, that range between the age of 74 to 88 might be reflecting the signs of dementia. The new findings suggest that people must pay closer attention to changes in their sleep habits. As they grow older they might feel like taking longer naps during the day.
