Get This Much Sleep for a Sharp Memory
July 16, 2012 -- Getting a recommended seven hours of sleep a night may help women keep their memory sharp, suggests a new analysis of data from the Nurses' Health Study.
The study found that women who slept five hours or less on average per day had lower scores on standard memory tests than those who slept seven hours, reports Elizabeth Devore, ScD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Similarly, women who slept nine or more hours on average per night had lower memory scores than those who slept seven hours a night, Devore tells WebMD.
"Women who got too little or too much sleep had the memories of women about two years [their senior]," she says.
The link between sleep duration and memory held true both in mid-life and later life, Devore says.
The findings were presented in Vancouver at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference.
Many Don't Get Enough Sleep
A recent CDC study found that more than 40 million workers get less than six hours of sleep per night.
Devore notes that growing evidence suggests that getting more or less than the recommended seven hours per day of sleep is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
"Since both heart disease and diabetes have been linked to an increased probability of having [memory] problems, we hypothesized that sleep duration may also influence memory," she says.
So the researchers examined data for more than 15,000 participants in the Nurses' Health Study. The women answered questions about how many hours they slept a night both in 1986 (when they were aged 40 to 65) and in 2000 (when they were aged 54 to 79).
Then, between 1995 and 2000, when the women were aged 70 or older, they took a series of memory tests. Follow-up memory tests were conducted every other year for six years.
"Interestingly, women whose sleep changed by two or more hours per day on average from mid- to later life had worse memory than those with no change in sleep duration, independent of their initial sleep duration," Devore says.
Dean M. Hartley, PhD, director of science initiatives at the Alzheimer's Association, points out that the study doesn't show cause and effect, only that there is an association between sleep and memory.
But other studies support a link, too. For example, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that a good night's sleep triggers changes in the brain that help to improve memory.
"We've had inklings of a link. And this is a very dynamic study with a large number of participants. Together with its other health benefits, including its role in protecting against heart disease and diabetes, this is yet another reason to get a good night's sleep," Hartley says.
Devore says she's hopeful that the work could eventually lead to new strategies to protect against impairment of memory and thinking abilities and also Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers are also trying to figure out whether sleep affects brain chemicals that may protect against dementia.
I usually get about 7. I make a point to go to bed early enough to get sleep. I can't function, especially over time, well if I don't. I'd rather have a messy house and be well-rested than the other way around.
I get up with DD way too much to get anywhere close to the recommended amount. Someday she will sleep and so will I!
If I could find a way to get 9 hours every night, I would be a SUPERSTAR mom and employee! ~ I wish my family could grasp the idea and LET ME!!!
It varies too much for me, sometimes I'll have a good nights sleep and other times I have a hard time falling/staying asleep.
for a couple years now I've been waking up at least once or twice a night, and now I'm having trouble falling asleep and waking up once or twice a night. I know I don't get enough sleep and I HATE it
This is me too!
Quoting mickstinator:
I usually get about 7. I make a point to go to bed early enough to get sleep. I can't function, especially over time, well if I don't. I'd rather have a messy house and be well-rested than the other way around.
I find it interesting how many mom's mentioned they would like 9. Another article I read some time ago said women actually function best on 9 hours (needing more than their male counterparts). Every now and then I crash and get 9, but if I keep bedtimes regular and stay in routine I naturally wake up at about 8 hours of sleep.
So tired!
- Marti123
on Jul. 17, 2012 at 1:08 PM