When it comes to dementia there are warning signs that are well-known like memory loss or trouble speaking, but based on a new study, sleep patterns can also be an indicator.
A recent study used sleep trackers to monitor sleep patterns in 733 women in their 80s, and at the five-year follow-up, 164 of the women who took part in the study had developed mild cognitive impairment and 93 of the women were diagnosed with dementia.
According to the researchers, people who had large jumps in sleepiness, including excessive napping, were more at risk of developing dementia.
Based on the study, researches concluded changes in sleep patterns could be considered an “early marker” for dementia in women in “older women.”
Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, said: “If you ask two different neurologist, you may get two different answer as we still don’t know the reason we sleep.”
The National Institutes of Aging has put together a list of early symptoms of dementia, listed below:
- Memory loss, poor judgment, and confusion
- Trouble speaking, understanding and expressing thoughts
- Wandering and getting lost in a familiar area
- Difficulty handling money and paying bills
- Repeating questions
- Using unusual words to refer to familiar objects
- Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
- Losing interest in normal daily activities
- Hallucinating or having delusions or paranoia
- Acting impulsively
- Not caring about other people’s feelings
- Losing balance and problems with movement
If there’s something going on, and there are concerns about dementia, people are advised to go to a healthcare provider for a physical and to speak to the practitioner about your or your loved one’s symptoms.
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