Chronic Insomnia and Accelerated Brain Aging: How Much Faster?
A recent study published in the Journal of Neurology reveals a link between chronic insomnia and accelerated cognitive decline, suggesting it could effectively age the brain by several years.Researchers found individuals experiencing chronic sleeplessness appear to be affected by an additional 3.5 years of cognitive aging compared to those who sleep normally.
“Sleeping is not just about relaxation, but also about the resistance of the brain,” explains Dr. Diego Z. Carvalho, a neurologist at the American Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and one of the study’s authors.
The research team, led by Dr.carvalho, followed 2,750 cognitively healthy older adults in the USA over nearly six years. 16 percent of the participants were diagnosed with insomnia and underwent regular memory and thinking tests, with some also receiving brain scans.
The study demonstrated that 14 percent of those with insomnia developed dementia or mild cognitive impairment, compared to 10 percent of those without insomnia. Participants with chronic insomnia exhibited a more rapid decline in thinking skills over the study period.
“We saw a faster decline in thinking and changes in the brain that indicate that chronic insomnia could be an early warning sign or even a factor for future cognitive problems,” Dr. Carvalho stated. These differences persisted even after accounting for factors like age, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and sleep medication use.
however, the study dose not prove that insomnia causes brain health problems, only that a relationship exists. Further research is needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms. The team also observed that the impact of chronic insomnia on brain health varied among individuals.
Brain scans of participants with reduced sleep revealed increased hyperintensities in the white matter – luminous spots indicating damage – and the presence of amyloid plaques, proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.Amyloid plaque levels in these individuals were comparable to those found in carriers of the Apoe4 gene variant, which is known to increase Alzheimer’s risk. Those with the APOE4 variant also experienced a more notable decline in memory and thinking abilities.
“Our results indicate that insomnia can influence the brain in different ways, not only by amyloid plaques, but also by small vessels that supply the brain with blood,” Dr. Carvalho explained.
this research builds upon existing knowledge regarding the connection between sleep and brain health, as highlighted in reports from euronews in january 2024 and August 2025. Chronic insomnia and poor sleep quality are also linked to increased risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity.
According to the World Health Association (WHO), approximately 57 million people worldwide are affected by dementia. Insomnia is estimated to affect 16.2 percent of the population in countries with available scientific data.
Dr. Carvalho emphasizes ”the importance of the treatment of chronic insomnia – not only to improve the quality of sleep, but possibly also to protect the health of the brain in old age.”
