Ever wondered how your gym time and nap time impact your mental sharpness?
Well, scientists at UCL have been poking around in the field of cognitive health and their findings are intriguing!
In a fun twist, they discovered that to keep your brain at its best, you can’t just focus on your workout regime, you also need to count your ZZZs!
Pump it Up but Don’t Skimp on Sleep
Published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, their study involved a marathon review of brain function in almost 9,000 folks aged 50 and over in England over a span of 10 years.
The brainiacs behind the study explored how sleep and physical activity habits can have a ripple effect on our mental prowess over time.
What they found is simple – folks who were regular gym-goers but often skimped on sleep (clocking less than six hours) saw their cognitive functions decline faster.
This means, after a decade, their brain’s working condition was comparable to people who were less physically active. In a nutshell, your gym hustle could lose its brain-boosting benefits if you’re not getting enough sleep.
Sleep: The Unsung Hero in Cognitive Health
Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg, the star author of the study, explained that sleep seems to be a crucial factor to fully reap the mental rewards of physical activity.
“Our findings highlight how vital it is to consider sleep and physical activity together when pondering about cognitive health,” she added.
A New Perspective
This study is unique as most past research focused only on a specific point in time.
The findings led to a surprise twist — regular physical activity might not be the magic bullet to counter the long-term impacts of sleep deprivation on cognitive health.
The Golden Combo: Adequate Sleep and Exercise
The study reinforced the golden rule — sleeping between six and eight hours per night along with higher levels of physical activity is linked to better brain function.
However, over the 10-year period, the mental sharpness of physically active people who slept less than six hours started to decline at a faster pace.
This was especially true for those in their 50s and 60s. But, the silver lining? Older folks aged 70 and above seemed to retain the cognitive benefits of exercise, even with less sleep.
Cognitive Health: A Two-Way Street
Co-author Professor Andrew Steptoe emphasized, “It’s crucial to pin down factors that can help preserve our cognitive function in middle and later life, as they can help extend our years of mental clarity and for some, delay a dementia diagnosis.”
A Word From the World Health Organization
“The World Health Organization already recommends physical activity for maintaining cognitive function, but our study suggests that sleep habits should also be considered to maximize the long-term benefits for brain health,” said Dr. Bloomberg.
How Did They Do It?
For their study, the team used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
Participants were asked about their average sleep duration on weeknights and were categorized into three groups: short sleepers (less than six hours), optimal sleepers (six to eight hours), and long sleepers (more than eight hours).
Participants were also graded based on their self-reported physical activity frequency and intensity.
They were then divided into two groups: more physically active and less physically active. Cognitive function was assessed using a memory test and a verbal fluency test.
A Few Caveats
While the results are intriguing, there are a few limitations. For instance, the researchers relied on participants self-reporting their sleep duration and physical activity.
Additionally, people with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, which might affect sleeppatterns, were excluded from the study.
The Road Ahead
The study opens up exciting new avenues for more research. The researchers suggested examining more diverse populations, assessing more cognitive and sleep quality domains, and using objective measures like wearable physical activity trackers.
So What’s the Takeaway?
In essence, to keep your brain sharp as a tack, the answer lies in a combo deal – hitting the gym and catching ample winks.
Regular physical activity and sufficient sleep should be seen as two peas in a pod when it comes to maintaining our cognitive health.
So, the next time you are in two minds about snoozing that alarm clock for a morning workout, remember to strike a balance. After all, your brain will thank you in the long run!
If you care about brain health, please read studies about vitamin D deficiency linked to Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, and higher magnesium intake could help benefit brain health.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce dementia risk, and coconut oil could help improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s.
The study was published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity. Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic.
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