Seniors who slept too little or too much during midlife or after are in increased risk for memory problems, just like those whose sleep habits changed as time passes, new information suggests. - Memory
Researchers looked over more than 15,000 women, 70 and older, who took part in a large study of health professionals. The women were depression- and stroke-free once they underwent their initial assessment.
Participants who slept five hours or less, or nine hours or even more each day -- in a choice of midlife or later life -- had worse memory compared to those who slept seven hours per day. The difference in memory was equal to nearly two extra years of age, the researchers said.
Women whose level of sleep changed by a lot more than two hours a night as time passes had poorer memory than those who had no sleep changes, based on the study published May 1 in the Journal from the American Geriatrics Society.
