How disrupted sleep can cause memory and thinking problems

It’s well-known that a good sleep cycle is key for physical as well as mental health. Expanding on this, a new study has found that people who have disrupted sleep in their 30s and 40s may be more likely to have memory and thinking problems a decade later. Among the 175 people with the most disrupted sleep, 44 had poor cognitive performance 10 years later. “Our findings indicate that the quality rather than the quantity of sleep matters most for cognitive health in middle age,” study author Yue Leng said in the statement. For instance, a 2023 study, published in the journal Neurology in December, found that irregular sleep habits could lead to a higher risk of dementia.