Total daily sleep duration and the risk of dementia: a prospective population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
We determined in a population-based study whether sleep duration was associated with an increased risk of incident dementia.


METHODS
In a population-based study in central Spain, participants were evaluated at baseline and 3 years later. Baseline demographic variables were recorded and participants indicated their daily sleep duration as the sum of night-time sleep and daytime napping. The average daily total sleep duration was grouped into five categories: < or = 5 (short sleepers), 6, 7 (reference), 8, and > or = 9 h (long sleepers). We identified all cases with incident dementia, diagnosed using DSM-IV criteria.


RESULTS
Three thousand two hundred eighty six participants with baseline information about sleep duration had a median duration of follow-up of 3.2 years. There were 140 incident cases of dementia. The relative risks (RR) for short sleepers and for long sleepers were 2.36 (95% CI = 1.07-5.21, P = 0.03) and 2.40 (95% CI = 1.20-4.81, P = 0.01), respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, the RR was only marginally increased for short sleepers (1.87, 95% CI = 0.85-4.15, P = 0.12) but remained increased for long sleepers (2.18; 95% CI = 1.09-4.37, P = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged sleep duration (night-time sleep and daytime napping) may be associated with an increased risk of dementia.
Benito-León
J
J
Department of Neurology, University Hospital '12 de Octubre', Madrid, Spain. jbenitol@meditex.es
Bermejo-Pareja
F
F
Vega
S
S
Louis
E D
ED
D000368:Aged; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D018579:Patient Selection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires