Sleep and Dementia Risk

Many people have seen dementia affect someone close to them. The writer’s father-in-law lived with it for eight years, and an uncle also had the disease. It is natural to worry about developing it later in life, especially since several habits may help reduce risk. The MIND diet, a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and less red meat and sodium, has been linked to benefits. Regular physical activity also matters. Now, getting enough sleep can be added to that list.

A new study suggests that sleeping six hours or less per night was linked with a 30% greater chance of receiving a dementia diagnosis nearly 30 years later.

Researchers in Britain carried out an observational study using sleep information from surveys completed six times by nearly 8,000 people between 1985 and 2016. By the end of the study, 521 participants had been diagnosed with dementia at an average age of 77. The volunteers were about 50 years old when the study began.

One complication is that dementia itself can disrupt sleep. That raises the question of whether poor sleep helps cause dementia or whether it is one of the first signs of the condition. The researchers believed beginning the study at age 50 made it less likely that early brain changes had already started.

Even so, observational research cannot prove cause and effect. The findings do not show that sleeping more will prevent dementia, and many factors can influence whether the disease develops.

Still, the main takeaway is that sleep matters. Along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, enough rest has been associated with delaying the start of dementia or slowing its progression. That is reason enough to aim for about eight hours a night.

Q and A

Q: How much water do I need to drink?

A: For years, the common advice was eight 8-ounce glasses a day. Newer research suggests the amount is more closely tied to body weight, with some recommendations calling for half your body weight in ounces each day. For someone weighing 150 pounds, that works out to 75 ounces, or a little more than nine 8-ounce glasses. Fluid needs also depend on heat, activity level and other sources of hydration, including drinks and foods like watermelon and broth-based soups. Since everyone’s needs are different, it is best to pay attention to thirst. One easy check is urine color: pale yellow usually means you are well hydrated, while darker urine can be a sign you need more water.

RECIPE

Summer grilling can be especially enjoyable on a long evening outdoors, and foil packets make the process even simpler. These Grilled Shrimp Boil Packets offer an easy meal with very little cleanup. The recipe is adapted from Eating Well magazine.

GRILLED SHRIMP BOIL PACKETS

Servings: 4

1 pound baby red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 ears corn, husked and cut into 4 pieces

1-pound unpeeled raw shrimp (16 to 20 per pound)

2 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 8 slices

4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 lemon, quartered

4 tablespoons melted butter

Sliced scallion for garnish

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Cut four 12-inch pieces of heavy-duty foil. Divide the potatoes, corn, shrimp, sausage and garlic among the foil sheets. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning, then gently toss to coat. Place a lemon wedge on top of each portion. Bring the long edges of the foil together and crimp them shut, then fold the ends to form packets. Grill until the potatoes are tender and the shrimp are pink, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with melted butter and scallion, if desired.

Per serving: 414 calories; 27 grams protein; 32 grams carbohydrate; 23 grams fat (9 grams saturated); 5 grams total sugars (0 grams added); 4 grams fiber; 582 milligrams sodium.