Examining sleep deficiency and disturbance and their risk for incident dementia and all-cause mortality in older adults across 5 years in the United States
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbance and deficiency are common among older adults and have been linked with dementia and all-cause mortality. Using nationally representative data, we examine the relationship between sleep disturbance and deficiency and their risk for incident dementia and all-cause mortality among older adults. METHODS: The National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) is a nationally-representative longitudinal study of Medicare beneficiaries in the US age 65 and older. Surveys that assessed sleep disturbance and duration were administered at baseline. We examined the relationship between sleep disturbance and deficiency and incident dementia and all-cause mortality over the following 5 years using Cox proportional hazards modeling, controlling for confounders. RESULTS: Among the sample (n = 2,812), very short sleep duration (≤5 hours: HR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.26 - 3.33) and sleep latency (>30 minutes: HR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.03 - 2.03) were associated with incident dementia in adjusted Cox models. Difficulty maintaining alertness ("Some Days": HR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.13 - 1.94 and "Most/Every Day": HR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.17 - 2.32), napping ("Some days": HR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.03 - 1.85; "Most/Every Day": HR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.29 - 2.32), sleep quality ("Poor/Very Poor": HR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.17 - 2.61), and very short sleep duration (≤5 hours: HR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.44 - 3.92) were associated with all-cause mortality in adjusted Cox models. CONCLUSIONS: Addressing sleep disturbance and deficiency may have a positive impact on risk for incident dementia and all-cause mortality among older adults.
Source: Aging
Institutions: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston College
Language: English
Topic: Sleep and related disorders
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G2304537473, An mHealth intervention to deliver personalized messages to increase adherence to OSA evaluation and treatment among transportation workers, Sleep, Aging and Circadian Rhythm Disorders, Improving the Health of EMS professionals through Sleep Health Education and Sleep Disorder Screening
OpenAlex ID: W3127070382