Dr Caroline Faucher, a sleep and dementia researcher from HMRI’s Brain Neuromodulation Research Program, has discovered that napping can significantly impact the memory of individuals at high risk of dementia.
Her recent study focuses on people with the APOE4 gene, known for increasing the risk of dementia, and those with a low polygenic risk score for the condition.
The study observed participants with similar nighttime sleep habits but varied napping routines. Dr Faucher found that long naps were associated with better memory in individuals at high risk of dementia, while not napping was more beneficial for those with a lower risk.
“We think this might be because the brain has a kind of restorative ‘washing machine’ function that happens when we sleep,” Dr Faucher explained. “It seems that in people with high risk of dementia, this cleaning function isn’t happening effectively at night, so a long nap in the daytime may give those people another chance for their brain to go through this process.”
In light of high-profile cases like Chris Hemsworth discovering his APOE4 gene status, more people are seeking blood tests to determine their own risk. Dr Faucher noted that while discovering a high risk of dementia previously left people feeling helpless beyond standard exercise and diet measures, advances in clinical trials for medications now offer hope.
This new study suggests that in addition to maintaining a healthy diet and regular physical activity, people at high risk of dementia might benefit from taking long naps, ideally about one hour per day.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
