Sleep disturbance predicts worse cognitive performance in subsequent years: A longitudinal population-based cohort study

Background: Poor sleep is a potential modifiable risk factor for later life development cognitive impairment. The aim of this study is to examine if subjective measures of sleep duration and sleep disturbance predict future cognitive decline in a population-based cohort of 60, 66, 72 and 78-year-olds with a maximal follow up time of 18 years. Methods: This study included participants from the Swedish National Study on Ageing and Care – Blekinge, with assessments 2001–2021. A cohort of 60 (n = 478), 66 (n = 623), 72 (n = 662) and 78 (n = 548) year-olds, were assessed at baseline and every 6 years until 78 years of age. Longitudinal associations between sleep disturbance (sleep scale), self-reported sleep duration and cognitive tests (Mini Mental State Examination and the Clock drawing test) were examined together with typical confounders (sex, education level, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking status, physical inactivity and depression). Results: There was an association between sleep disturbance at age 60 and worse cognitive function at ages 60, 66 and 72 years in fully adjusted models. The association was attenuated after bootstrap-analysis for the 72-year-olds. The items of the sleep scale most predictive of later life cognition regarded nightly awakenings, pain and itching and daytime naps. Long sleep was predictive of future worse cognitive function. Conclusion: Sleep disturbance was associated with worse future cognitive performance for the 60-year-olds, which suggests poor sleep being a risk factor for later life cognitive decline. Questions regarding long sleep, waking during the night, pain and itching and daytime naps should be further explored in future research and may be targets for intervention. CC BY 4.0© 2022 The AuthorsCorresponding author at: Department of Health, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Valhallavägen 1, 371 41 Karlskrona, Sweden. E-mail address: anders.behrens@bth.se (A. Behrens). SNAC is financially supported by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden, and the participating county councils, municipalities, and university departments.