Low sleep quality accelerates brain aging, Swedish researchers have established.
The study involved 27,500 residents of the United Kingdom. All participants underwent MRI scans, and the 'brain age' was determined by artificial intelligence. The results were published in the journal EBioMedicine.
It turned out that people with sleep disorders have brains that are, on average, 'older' than their actual age by about one year. The quality of nighttime rest was assessed based on five criteria: sleep duration, presence of snoring, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and whether they are 'owls' or 'larks'.
In addition, specialists identified hidden signs of chronic inflammation in poorly sleeping participants, which partially explains the effect of accelerated aging. According to scientists, lack of sleep hinders the brain's ability to cleanse itself and negatively affects vascular health.
As researchers note, improving sleep quality may slow brain aging and reduce the risk of cognitive impairments, including dementia.
