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A study published online on August 30, 2021 suggests that an excessive amount of or too little sleep can damage your brain and result in poor memory and pondering. JAMA Neurology. Researchers analyzed brain images, cognitive test results and self-reported sleep habits of greater than 4,400 older men and girls worldwide. Sleeping six hours or less per night (short sleep) was related to cognitive impairment, mostly in memory, in addition to a rise in amyloid beta – the protein that may construct up brain plaques (a marker of Alzheimer's disease). Sleeping nine hours or more (long sleep) was also linked to cognitive problems, especially in decision-making. And each short and long sleep were related to higher body mass index (a measure of body fat), more depressive symptoms, and more napping, in comparison with individuals who got seven or eight hours of sleep. The study was observational and may't prove causation, however the findings echo many other studies that suggest too little — and possibly an excessive amount of — sleep causes cognitive problems.
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