A new study is showing just how detrimental poor sleep is to your health.
According to researchers, insomnia is linked to a significantly higher risk of developing dementia and is also linked to a host of other health problems, like heart disease and obesity.
The landmark Mayo Clinic study found that insomnia is tied to a 40% increase in the risk of dementia, equal to 3.5 years of accelerated brain aging. Insomnia is characterized by symptoms that include difficulty and delay in falling asleep, remaining asleep, waking too early, or being unable to fall back asleep.
Restful sleep provides the body time for vital maintenance and repair. When sleep is disrupted and broken up, it prevents essential restoration and results in hormonal imbalances, heightened inflammation, and accumulated cellular damage.
Over time, this strain puts a significant burden on the cardiovascular system, impairs metabolic function, and compromises the body’s immune system.
This is not the first time experts have shed light on the importance of restful sleep. Last year, The Dallas Express reported on a study that found inconsistent sleep might drive a higher risk of heart attack or stroke. In that study, researchers concluded that individuals who sleep and wake up at different times each day possess a 26% higher chance of succumbing to a fatal heart-related medical event.
Sleep is also critical for maintaining brain health. When we sleep, the body undergoes a cleansing process that helps remove waste and toxins accumulated in the brain while awake.
Without proper sleep, toxins and proteins linked to Alzheimer’s and other dementias can accumulate.
The latest findings suggest that persistent insomnia may be both an early warning sign and a possible contributor to future cognitive impairment. A lack of sleep also puts the body under chronic stress. This leads to the overproduction of cortisol, which raises both heart rate and blood pressure, placing strain on the heart.
Insomnia can also disrupt hormones that regulate appetite, driving an increased feeling of hunger. It can also impact the neurological reward pathways, amplifying the perceived pleasure and reward value of higher-calorie, carb-dense, fatty foods, leading to poorer dietary choices and driving obesity.