While most people focus on skincare to slow ageing, the importance of "braincare" often goes unnoticed. A new study reveals that poor sleep quality may play a role in accelerating brain ageing, which shows the role of sleep in maintaining cognitive health. This research from the American Academy of Neurology, published in the journal Neurology, links sleep disturbances to brain ageing—sometimes adding as much as three extra years to the brain's age.
The study followed 589 adults in their 40s over the years, evaluating their sleep patterns and brain health. Initially, participants completed questionnaires on sleep quality, reporting issues like trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. After five years, they repeated the survey.
Finally, fifteen years later, researchers used brain scans to assess the participants' "brain age," a measure of brain shrinkage linked to cognitive decline. Results showed a clear association between sleep problems and accelerated brain ageing. Participants reporting two or three sleep issues had brain ageing nearly 1.
6 years faster than those with just one problem. The effect was even more pronounced in those with three or more sleep issues, who showed brain ageing up to 2.6 years faster.
Sleep problems that may seem minor—like mild insomnia or waking up frequently—were shown to have a cumulative effect on brain health. According to the researchers, these issues may speed up brain shrinkage, leading to memory problems, slower processing, and ot.