Get This Much Sleep for a Sharp Memory
Get This Much Sleep for a Sharp Memory
July 16, 2012 -- Getting a recommended seven hours of sleep a night may help women keep their memory sharp, suggests a new analysis of data from the Nurses' Health Study.
The study found that women who slept five hours or less on average per day had lower scores on standard memory tests than those who slept seven hours, reports Elizabeth Devore, ScD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Similarly, women who slept nine or more hours on average per night had lower memory scores than those who slept seven hours a night, Devore tells WebMD.
"Women who got too little or too much sleep had the memories of women about two years [their senior]," she says.
The link between sleep duration and memory held true both in mid-life and later life, Devore says.
The findings were presented in Vancouver at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference.
When a Loved One Has Alzheimer's
The study found that women who slept five hours or less on average per day had lower scores on standard memory tests than those who slept seven hours, reports Elizabeth Devore, ScD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Similarly, women who slept nine or more hours on average per night had lower memory scores than those who slept seven hours a night, Devore tells WebMD.
"Women who got too little or too much sleep had the memories of women about two years [their senior]," she says.
The link between sleep duration and memory held true both in mid-life and later life, Devore says.
The findings were presented in Vancouver at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference.
When a Loved One Has Alzheimer's
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