Will getting more sleep help protect me from dementia?

A study published online April 20, 2021, by the journal Nature Communications suggests thatgetting too little sleep in midlife increases the risk for dementia later in life. Researchers analyzed the sleep data of 8,000 middle-aged adults who were followed for 25 years. People who slept six hours per night at age 50 were 22% more likely to develop dementia, compared with people who slept seven hours. People who slept six hours per night at age 60 were 37% more likely to develop dementia, compared with people who slept seven hours. The study was observational and can’t prove causation.