Health
Sleepy during the day? It could be an early warning sign of dementia, study suggests
Feeling sleepy during the day could signal a more serious issue for some groups.
A new study published in the journal Neurology revealed a possible connection between daytime sleepiness in older people and dementia risk.
People who lack enthusiasm for activities and feel sleepy during the day were found to have a higher risk of developing a condition called motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR).
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MCR can cause people to walk at slower speeds and experience memory issues – and it can occur before dementia develops.
Researchers found that people with a lack of enthusiasm and daytime sleepiness are more than three times more likely to develop MCR. (iStock)
The study, led by Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, included 445 participants averaging 76 years of age who did not have dementia.
Participants were asked about memory issues and walked on treadmills to assess their walking speeds. This was repeated once a year for an average of three years.
The group also completed a sleep assessment to gauge sleeping problems, patterns and medications.
TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP, DO THIS ACTIVITY BEFORE BED, EXPERTS SUGGEST
The researchers also tracked how often people had trouble staying awake while driving, eating or being social, as well as their issues maintaining enthusiasm for daily tasks.
At the start, 42 people had MCR, while another 36 developed the condition during the study.
After adjusting for factors like age, depression and other health conditions, researchers found that people with a lack of enthusiasm and daytime sleepiness were more than three times as likely to develop MCR.
MCR can cause people to walk at slow speeds and have memory issues. It can occur before dementia develops. (iStock)
“Our findings suggest that sleep issues affecting daytime wakefulness are most strongly associated with later cognitive risk,” study author Victoire Leroy, MD, PhD, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, told Fox News Digital.
“This supports the hypothesis that sleep-related problems, particularly daytime sleepiness, are connected to cognitive impairment in older adults.”
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“More research needs to be done to look at the relationship between sleep issues and cognitive decline and the role played by motoric cognitive risk syndrome,” Leroy added.
The study did have some limitations, the researchers noted.
It did not prove that sleep-related issues cause MCR, but only showed an association. Participants also self-reported their own sleep information, which left some room for bias.
Sleep-related daytime impairment remained a significant risk factor for MCR even after adjusting for depression. (iStock)
“These results should be interpreted with caution due to several limitations in the study, and the association is not shown to be causal,” Leroy told Fox News Digital.
“Further research is needed to validate this relationship and its underlying mechanisms.”
Sleep expert Dr. Wendy Troxel, RAND Corporation senior behavioral specialist and licensed clinical psychologist in Utah, commented on the study in a conversation with Fox News Digital.
“Our findings suggest that sleep issues affecting daytime wakefulness are most strongly associated with later cognitive risk.”
As sleep problems and depression are “highly related,” it’s “important to disentangle whether their sleep problems uniquely contribute to MCR, over and above the effects of depression,” said Troxel, who was not involved in the study.
“Results showed that people with poor sleep quality had a higher chance of developing MCR, but this link was no longer significant when accounting for depression,” she added.
One study limitation is that participants self-reported their own sleep information, the researchers added. (iStock)
Sleep-related daytime impairment remained a significant risk factor for MCR even after adjusting for depression, according to Troxel.
“These findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that promoting sleep health may be an important strategy to reduce the risk of dementia and emphasize the need for better screening and diagnosis for sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea,” she said.
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These disorders are “prevalent and treatable” in both men and women, Troxel noted, but they remain “under-diagnosed and under-treated.”
The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging.
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A viral wellness trend asks a simple question — is warm or cold water healthier? — but the science behind it is more nuanced.
Previous research shows that food and beverage temperature has a measurable effect on things like anxiety and gut discomfort.
One of the most long-standing health claims is that ice-cold water boosts calorie burn by forcing the body to heat it up. While this is grounded in science, the actual impact may be minimal.
Ultimately, experts say, the health impact of water temperature depends on the goal — weight loss, athletic performance, digestion or comfort.
Does cold water boost weight loss?
“As per research, in the 90 minutes after consuming cold or room temperature water, energy expenditure increases minimally by 2.9% (cold water) and 2.3% (room temperature),” Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian and diabetes expert in North Carolina, told Fox News Digital.
Extra water may suppress the appetite or may play a part in energy production and expenditure, experts say. (iStock)
While the body does expend energy to warm up cold water, Freirich noted that it’s “not significant enough to make it worthwhile” for weight loss. Hot water doesn’t exactly melt fat, however, she added.
For those looking to lose or manage weight, Freirich suggests focusing on “how much” rather than “how cold.” She pointed to research involving overweight women who added an extra 1.5 liters of water to their daily intake. Over eight weeks, the participants saw measurable weight loss.
YOUR BEDROOM TEMPERATURE COULD BE PUTTING YOUR HEART IN SERIOUS DANGER, STUDY WARNS
“The extra water may suppress the appetite or may play a part in energy production and expenditure,” Freirich said. The temperature of drinking water should not affect how well the body utilizes nutrients, she added, noting that more research is needed.
For those exercising in heat and humidity, the goal should be to rehydrate without excessive fluid loss through sweat. Research on thermoregulation suggests there is an ideal water temperature for athletes.
The temperature of drinking water should not affect how well the body utilizes nutrients, according to an expert. (iStock)
While drinking water can trigger sweating as the body regulates its temperature, 60.8 degrees Fahrenheit was associated with the least amount of perspiration.
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“Cool, but not cold,” Freirich emphasized. Drinking water in this specific range helps the body rehydrate efficiently without causing gastrointestinal distress.
Warm water and digestion
There are several reasons someone might opt for warm water, including its effect on relaxation and digestion. Studies have found that warmer liquids can accelerate gastric emptying, effectively waking up the gut.
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The benefits may be mental as well. Freirich points to research showing that hot black tea leads to lower levels of cortisol — the body’s primary stress hormone — and greater subjective relaxation after stressful tasks.
The preference for warm water often stems from its effect on the rest and digestion. Studies have found that warmer liquids can accelerate gastric emptying, effectively waking up the gut. (iStock)
Medical triggers
Freirich warns that very cold water can cause difficulty for those with swallowing disorders, or can trigger migraines and “brain freeze” in people with sensitive nerves.
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Furthermore, those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may find that ice-cold drinks trigger digestive discomfort.
Ultimately, the best temperature is the one that encourages people to drink, the dietitian said. The general recommendation for adults is to consume seven to eight glasses of water per day.
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“Most importantly, it is important for everyone to stay adequately hydrated,” Freirich said.
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