If the elderly often feel sleepy during the day, beware of dangerous diseases.

Do you find yourself yawning constantly and feeling excessively sleepy during the day? You may be at increased risk for a dangerous disease that is more common in older adults.

New research published in the American Academy of Neurology's medical journal JAMA Neurology has found a potential link between excessive daytime sleepiness and a disease in older adults.

Older adults who experience daytime sleepiness or feel less motivated due to sleep problems may be more likely to develop a syndrome linked to dementia, according to science site Scitech Daily.

New research finds potential link between excessive daytime sleepiness and a disease in older adults

This syndrome, called motor cognitive risk syndrome (MCR), is characterized by slower walking speed and memory problems, despite no motor disability or dementia. MCR often appears before dementia symptoms appear.

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, conducted a study of 445 people with an average age of 76 who did not have dementia. Participants were asked to complete sleep questionnaires at the start of the study. They were asked about memory problems and had their walking speed tested on a treadmill at the start of the study and then once a year for an average of three years.

Sleep questions included frequency of difficulty falling asleep due to waking up in the middle of the night, not being able to fall asleep within 30 minutes, or feeling too hot or too cold, and whether sleeping pills were used.

Questions about excessive daytime sleepiness include whether or not it is difficult to stay awake while driving, eating, or participating in social activities.

The question of enthusiasm includes whether it is difficult to maintain enough enthusiasm to get things done.

A total of 177 people were poor sleepers and 268 people were good sleepers.

At the start of the study, 42 people had motor-cognitive risk syndrome, and during the study, 36 more people developed the syndrome.

People who are excessively sleepy during the day and lack enthusiasm are three times more likely to develop a syndrome linked to dementia.

Results showed that up to 35.5% of people with excessive daytime sleepiness and lack of enthusiasm had motor-cognitive risk syndrome, compared with 6.7% of people who did not experience these symptoms.

Notably, after adjusting for influencing factors, the final results showed that people who were excessively sleepy during the day and lacked enthusiasm were three times more likely to develop dementia-related syndromes, according to Scitech Daily.

The study does not prove that these sleep problems cause the syndrome, only that there is a link.

More research is needed to examine the relationship between sleep problems and cognitive decline and the role of cognitive-motor risk syndrome, said study author Dr. Victoire Leroy, a physician at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-lon-tuoi-neu-hay-buon-ngu-ban-ngay-coi-chung-mac-benh-nguy-hiem-185241119172932849.htm