Too much and too little sleep negatively affects competences such as information processing speed, memory, and problem-solving skills. Scientists – on the basis of patients’ data – determined exactly how many hours we should sleep. Are you in this range?
Sleep plays an important role in maintaining good mental health. It also helps keep the brain healthy by removing waste products. With age, you often see changes in sleep patterns, including difficulty falling asleep and uninterrupted sleep, and poorer sleep quality.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge (UK) and Fudan University (Shanghai, China) analyzed data on nearly 500 people. adults aged 38-73 from British Biobank. Participants were asked about their sleep patterns, mental health and well-being. They also took part in a series of cognitive tests. In the case of almost 40 thousand. of these, scientists had brain imaging and genetic data.
The team found that both insufficient and excessive sleep time have been associated with impaired cognitive functions such as information processing speed, visual attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Seven hours of sleep was the optimal length.
“Good sleep is important at all stages of life, but especially as you get older. Finding ways to improve sleep in older people can be crucial to help them maintain good mental health and well-being, ‘concludes Prof. Barbara Sahakian from the University of Cambridge.
- In order to improve the quality of sleep, reach for Sedarel Noc – a dietary supplement for restful sleep containing lemon balm, hops and lavender.