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Study design

Researchers analyzed 88,889 interviews from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, using data collected in 2019–2022. This cross-sectional analysis compared reported sleep patterns with cognitive screening results among community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults.

What it found

After adjustment, sleeping ten hours or more remained associated with lower cognitive scores. Daytime napping was also associated with cognitive impairment. The initial, unadjusted inverted-U relationship between sleep duration and cognition weakened after adjustment.

Limits and interpretation

The analysis cannot determine whether long sleep or naps contribute to cognitive difficulties, reflect health conditions, or both. Sleep was largely self-reported and cognition came from a screening tool; the study did not diagnose dementia. It does not establish an ideal sleep duration for individuals.

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Sources

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