Tossing and Turning All Night, Nodding Off During the Day... Risk of This Disease Rises Significantly After 30 Years

Risk of Sleep Disorders Such as Sleepwalking Up to 3.46 Times Higher
Daytime Symptoms, Such as Napping and Daytime Drowsiness, Are Key Indicators

A large-scale study has found that sleep disorders increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. In particular, "daytime signals" such as daytime sleepiness and frequent naps have been identified as significant risk factors.

According to Yonhap News on the 24th, a research team including Professor Philhyu Lee from the Department of Neurology at Severance Hospital and Professor Yoorang Park from the Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics announced these findings in the international journal "Alzheimer's & Dementia."

The researchers used the large-scale health database "UK Biobank" and tracked more than 30,000 patients with sleep disorders and about 140,000 non-patients for up to 30 years. As a result, the group with sleep disorders had, on average, a 32% higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases compared to those without such disorders.

Pixabay

Neurodegenerative diseases are conditions in which the function of the brain and nerve cells gradually deteriorates. Notable examples include Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, which are difficult to recover from once they occur, making early detection and prevention crucial.

By disease type, vascular neurodegenerative diseases increased by 1.38 times, Alzheimer's dementia by 1.33 times, and Parkinson's disease by 1.31 times, all showing significant increases. The research team focused on the close relationship between sleep and the brain's processes of removing waste and restoring nerve cells.

The degree of risk varied significantly depending on the type of sleep disorder. In the case of "NREM parasomnia"—which includes sleepwalking and night terrors—the risk of neurodegenerative diseases was highest at 3.46 times greater. Other conditions such as sleep apnea (1.44 times), restless legs syndrome (1.32 times), and insomnia (1.21 times) were also associated with increased risk. The researchers explained that if the brain's restorative functions during deep sleep stages do not work properly, it can lead to neurodegeneration.

The research team especially focused on symptoms that appear during the daytime. Frequent napping (1.53 times), daytime sleepiness (1.60 times), and difficulty waking up in the morning (1.81 times) were all associated with increased risk. In cases where insomnia was accompanied by frequent napping, the risk rose as high as 2.85 times.

Professor Lee, who led the study, stated, "Actively diagnosing and managing sleep disorders could serve as an important starting point for future strategies to prevent neurodegenerative diseases."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.