Sleeping for long hours may be early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, says study  

According to a new study, sleeping for long hours can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

The study tracked the daytime sleeping habits of senior citizens. It suggests a hike in the time of naps was linked to a higher chance of developing a mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s.

It is also more likely that excessive sleeping can be an early warning sign, the scientists say. It can also cause mental decline.

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Dr Yue Leng, assistant professor, psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, said, “It might be a signal of accelerated ageing. The main takeaway is if you didn’t used to take naps and you notice you’re starting to get sleepier in the day, it might be a signal of declining cognitive health.”

More than 1,000 people were tracked by scientists for several years. The sample had an average age of 81.

The participants wore a watch-like device each year to track mobility for around 14 days. From 9 am to 7 pm, each prolonged period of non-activity was interpreted with a nap.

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To evaluate cognition each year, the participants also underwent tests.

Leng said it was not possible to rule out the possibility that napping was causing cognitive problems but there was “no obvious biological mechanism by which taking naps could cause Alzheimer’s”.

(With inputs from agencies)