feeling sleepy For some groups during the day, it may indicate a more serious problem.

A new study published in the journal Neurology uncovered a possible link between daytime sleepiness. in older people and risk of dementia.

It has been found that people who lack enthusiasm for activities and feel sleepy during the day have a higher risk of developing a condition called motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR).

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MCR can cause people to walk at slower speeds and have memory problems, and this may occur before dementia develops.

Researchers found that people with a lack of enthusiasm and daytime sleepiness were more than three times more likely to develop MCR. (iStock)

The study, conducted by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, included 445 participants with an average age of 76 who did not have dementia.

Participants were asked about memory problems and walked on a treadmill to assess their walking speed. This was repeated annually for an average of three years.

The group also completed a sleep assessment to measure sleep problems, patterns and medications.

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Researchers also tracked how often people had difficulty staying awake while driving, eating or socializing, and their problems maintaining enthusiasm for daily tasks.

42 people had MCR at baseline, and another 36 developed the condition during the study.

After adjusting for age, depression and other factors health conditionsResearchers found that people with a lack of enthusiasm and daytime sleepiness were more than three times more likely to develop MCR.

MCR can cause people to walk at slow speeds and have memory problems. It may occur before dementia develops. (iStock)

These findings “highlight the need to screen for sleep problems,” said study author Victoire Leroy, MD, PhD, of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. new Yorkhe wrote in a press release.

“There is potential for people to get help with sleep problems and prevent cognitive decline later in life.”

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“More research is needed to look at the relationship between sleep problems and cognitive decline and the role played by motoric cognitive risk syndrome,” Leroy added.

The researchers noted that the study had some limitations.

It did not prove that sleep-related problems cause MCR, but only showed an association.

Participants also self-reported their own sleep information, leaving room for bias.

Sleep-related daytime disorder remained a significant risk factor for MCR even after adjustment for depression. (iStock)

Sleep specialist Dr. Wendy Troxel, RAND Corporation senior behavioral expert and RN clinical psychologist He commented on the study in a conversation with Fox News Digital in Utah.

“There is potential for people to get help with sleep problems and prevent cognitive decline later in life.”

Because sleep problems and depression are “highly related,” “it’s important to unravel whether sleep problems uniquely contribute to MCR beyond the effects of depression,” said Troxel, who was not involved in the study.

“The results showed that people with poor sleep quality had a higher chance of developing MCR, but this link was no longer significant in people with poor sleep quality. depression accounting” he added.

One limitation of the study was that participants self-reported their own sleep information, the researchers added. (iStock)

According to Troxel, sleep-related daytime disorder remained a significant risk factor for MCR even after adjustment for depression.

“These findings add to a growing body of evidence that promoting sleep health “It may be an important strategy to reduce the risk of dementia and highlight the need for better screening and diagnosis for sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea,” he said.

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Troxel noted that these disorders are “common and treatable” in both men and women, but they remain “underdiagnosed and undertreated.”

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The research was supported by the National Institute on Aging.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the study’s authors for comment.