Research Has Linked Insomnia & Dementia Risk — Here's What To Do About It

For this study, researchers wanted to look at the connection between sleep disturbances and dementia, looking at over 6,000 participants over a 10-year period. Data from adults ages 65 and up were analyzed from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, with an emphasis on sleep initiation insomnia (trouble falling asleep), sleep-maintenance insomnia (trouble falling back asleep after waking up early), and sleep medication usage.

Then, the study authors looked to see which of the participants developed dementia over the course of the study. And as you might imagine, insomnia (namely, sleep initiation insomnia) is not a great recipe for lowering your dementia risk.

The study authors found that sleep initiation insomnia increased participants' risk of insomnia just over 50%, which is a pretty significant stat. Sleep medication usage also showed an increased dementia risk at 30%.

While we wait for more research to unpack how insomnia could be impacting dementia risk, the good news is, we can focus on our sleep hygiene in an effort to tackle insomnia first.

The essential sleep rules, like going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, are a good place to start—along with avoiding caffeine and alcohol too close to bed, which can impact sleep quality.

Talk to your doctor if insomnia is persistent, and consider opting for a quality sleep supplement with ingredients like magnesium and pharmaGABA, which are research-backed to help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality.