This week in sleep news …
An irregular schedule may increase your dementia risk
A new study, published in the journal Neurology, found a connection between irregular sleep schedules and an increased risk of dementia. The study looked at the connection between consistency in sleep-wake patterns and the risk of dementia, as well as some other brain changes, using data from over 88,000 participants over the age of 62 in the United Kingdom. For seven days, the participants wore trackers to determine the probability of their being asleep or awake at two time points, 24 hours apart. The participants received regularity scores, from zero to 100, with higher scores meaning more regular sleep patterns.
Researchers found that those with the lowest sleep regularity scores were 53% more likely to develop dementia, compared with individuals with more regular sleep patterns.
How hibernation may help heal blood clots.
While humans aren’t meant to sleep for eight months, we could learn a thing or two from the deep sleep brown bears go into during hibernation. Hibernation is more than just sleep; it’s a deep state of energy conservation in which a brown bear’s heart rate drops to lower than 10 beats per minute. This perplexed scientists, as this should be a recipe for blood clots. However, by collecting blood from 13 bears during winter, scientists found a protein that helps blood cells stick together appeared far less frequently in bear blood in winter, as compared to summer. Researchers are hoping this discovery helps develop new blood-thinning medicines.
Cameron Diaz advocates for separate bedrooms
Sleep disruptions from partners are all too common, which is why some couples opt for separate bedrooms. Cameron Diaz stopped by the Lipstick on the Rim podcast this week and enthusiastically discussed how she sleeps in a different bedroom from her husband of eight years. “To me, I would literally, I have my house, you have yours. We have the family house in the middle. I will go and sleep in my room. You go sleep in your room. I’m fine,” she told the podcasts hosts. “And we have the bedroom in the middle that we can convene in for our relations.”
3…2…1 Happy New Year!
As we say goodbye to 2023, and hello to 2024, consider trying out some sleep-centric New Year’s resolutions. Try committing to a cozy bedtime routine that involves your favorite book or soothing music. Or take a shot at a tech-free wind-down before turning in. Whether you're aiming for a more consistent sleep schedule, or you just want to close the chapter on those late-night scrolling sessions, no goal is too big or too small. We hope your year is filled with sweet dreams, comfy pillows, and the sleep you’ve been hoping for. Sleep tight, and happy New Year!
