Khaberni - A recent scientific study has warned against some bad sleep habits; as they may contribute to accelerating brain aging by up to half a year, making the brain appear older than the actual age of its owner, even among healthy individuals.
According to the "New York Post", the study conducted by researchers from Sweden and China, and published in the journal "eBioMedicine", was based on the analysis of brain scan images and sleep patterns of more than 27,000 middle-aged and elderly people.
Researchers found that individuals who had the worst sleep patterns had brains that were on average one full year older than their chronological ages.
The five habits
Scientists identified five main habits behind this early cognitive decline, which are as follows:
- Staying up late (being nocturnal, preferring to stay awake at night and sleep in the morning).
- Insomnia and difficulty falling asleep.
- Continuous snoring during sleep.
- Sleeping for less than 7 hours per night.
- Feeling excessively sleepy during the day.
For each of these habits, researchers deducted a point from the "sleep health" scale of five points, where the result was clear: "Each lost point adds half a year of aging to the brain age".
The two most influential factors
According to the study results, staying up late and snoring were the two factors most influential in accelerating brain aging.
The researchers explained that the participants who suffered from poor sleep were mostly older, male, obese, poor, or suffering from diseases that increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Chronic inflammation
The report also indicated that chronic inflammation might be the cause behind this deterioration, as sleep deprivation stimulates the body to produce continuous inflammatory responses that lead to neuronal cell damage and impair memory and concentration over time, and are associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
The researchers concluded by urging people to pay attention to sleep quality as one of the keys to preserving the brain's youth, emphasizing that adequate and regular sleep is not a luxury, but a protective shield against premature aging of the mind.
