Sleep, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour are all linked to an increased risk of dementia.

 Important Points to Remember

Sleep, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour are all linked to an increased risk of dementia.

The combination of sleeping 7 hours per day, moderate-to-high leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), and low-to-moderate inactive time had the lowest risk of incident dementia of the three modifiable behaviours known to be associated with dementia.

Incorporating It into Your Day-to-Day Routine

According to the Lancet Commission's 2020 Report, modifying 12 modifiable risk factors could reduce the incidence of dementia by 40%.

When the independent and combined effects of modifiable and non-modifiable risk variables are recognised, risk profiling is most effective.

Why is this research important?

In the next three decades, the global prevalence of dementia is anticipated to quadruple, notwithstanding the lack of a solution. As a result, understanding the modifiable cardiovascular and lifestyle risk factors is essential for preventive, risk reduction, and cognitive enhancement.

Design of the research

Participants were recruited from the UK Biobank and followed for a median of 9 years if they did not have dementia at the time of enrolment (n = 431,924).

To investigate linear and non-linear associations with dementia, the following data were collected and fitted with a restricted cubic spine: sleep duration, LTPA, and sedentary time.

Conclusions and findings

Sleep duration revealed a U-shaped relationship with dementia risk, with 7 hours of sleep per day having the lowest risk. The relationship between LTPA and dementia was curvilinear, whereas the relationship between sedentary time and dementia was J-shaped.

Participants with high LTPA had a 17 percent decreased risk of dementia, while those with excessive sedentary time had a 22 percent higher risk.

Each of the three modifiable habits had a non-linear relationship with dementia-related brain regions.