"Poor brain health often leads to problems with thinking and memory and can eventually result in dementia. Research shows that sleep plays a role in this. Poor sleep over many years-whether because of a sleep disorder or simply not getting enough sleep (usually less than six hours a night)-can raise the risk of developing dementia by 10 to 20 percent (1,2)."
"The good news is that there are two ways we can protect brain and cognitive health. First, we can try to prevent harmful changes from building up in the brain. Second, we can support thinking skills even when brain damage is already present. This second approach is known as cognitive reserve and refers to factors that help people perform better than expected despite brain pathologies, by allowing the brain to work more efficiently or use alternative strategies."
People live longer, increasing the need to preserve brain health and cognitive function with age. Harmful substances and structural changes accumulate in the brain, damaging cells and causing atrophy; such brain pathologies contribute to worsening memory, attention, and problem-solving. Poor sleep quantity and quality across years raises dementia risk by about 10–20 percent. Two protective strategies exist: reduce accumulation of harmful brain changes and strengthen cognitive reserve so thinking skills remain despite pathology. Improving sleep supports waste clearance and reduces inflammation while promoting cognitive reserve, helping maintain cognitive performance even when brain pathology is present.
Read at Psychology Today
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