Sleep Disorders and Risk of Dementia: Everything You Need to Know

By Swabirah Sulaiman, BS Physiology

Have you ever wondered if your sleep patterns could be an early signal for dementia risk as you age? Could a sleep disorder predict the likelihood of developing dementia at an earlier age or at all?

We all know that dementia, a condition that causes a decline in cognitive abilities, including thinking, memory, mood, and performance, mostly affects older individuals.

In this article, you will find answers to the above questions to help you understand the link between dementia and sleep disorders, what to know, and what you can do to live and sleep better.

First, let's understand the basics.

What are Sleep Disorders?

Adults often complain of sleepless nights due to one reason or another, but what if it's not just a “normal sleepless night”?

Research estimates on sleep and sleep disorders show that about 50–70 million people have an ongoing sleep disorder worldwide. ^[1]

That's how common it is.

A sleep disorder is a general term for a group of conditions that affect your normal sleep pattern.

There are different types, but the most common, according to The International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD), are: ^[2]

• Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
  

• Sleep-disordered breathing (sleep apnea)
  

• Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders
  

• Parasomnias
  

• Sleep-related movement disorders

The link between sleep and brain health
A Good sleep is a vital aspect of your biological process for managing brain health and overall well-being.

The neurological impact of poor sleep has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and all-cause dementia. ^[3]

What does research say about sleep disorders and dementia?
Recent research shows that individuals with long-term sleep disorders like REM sleep disorder, circadian rhythm disruptions, insomnia, and sleep-disordered breathing like sleep apnea may have a higher risk of developing dementia.

Damsgaard et al. said that “there should be a higher focus on sleep disorders as a red flag for possible early phase dementia disorders.”

Here's what has been found: ^{[3], [4]}

• In a 2018 nationwide cohort study conducted in Taiwan, 17% of individuals with sleep disorders above age 50 had an increased risk of developing dementia compared to those without sleep disorders.
  

• Patients diagnosed with insomnia were found to have higher odds of developing Alzheimer's and vascular dementia.
  

• In a 2025 meta-analysis by Semmelweis University, sleeping excessively during the day, insomnia, and poor sleep quality were also shown to increase dementia risk significantly. ^[4]

Additionally, sleep health is increasingly recognized as a modifiable risk factor for dementia, which means that improving sleep may contribute to reducing the overall risk of cognitive decline.

What you can do

Having well-rested sleep with good quality and duration is very important.
Now that you know the association between sleep disorders and dementia risk, here are some things you should do:

• Do not ignore the sleep warning signs that could indicate early cognitive decline: memory problems, breaks in sleep, loud snoring, frequent waking, and poor sleep quality.

• Seek professional help early if you have trouble sleeping.

• Try incorporating good habits that are natural ways to improve sleep, such as:

  • Set a regular sleep schedule

  • Avoid screens before bed

  • Treat conditions like sleep apnea

  • Reduce caffeine and stress

Note that not all sleep problems are associated with cognitive decline; therefore, please consult your specialist for further inquiries.

Prevention and Treatment

There is no current strategy to prevent sleep disorders and the risk of dementia aside from actively improving sleep quality by addressing warning signs early and sticking to good habits, as mentioned above.

However, when it comes to treatment, a question arises:
If you treat your sleep disorder, does that reduce the risk of having dementia later on?

Scientists are still researching this, although some recent studies show that using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to treat obstructive sleep apnea may improve cognitive performance.

Further research is still required.

Conclusion

If you have a sleep disorder or know someone who does, while these risks sound concerning, it’s important to stay proactive rather than anxious.

Focus on good sleeping habits and sleep hygiene.

Remember to not ignore warning signs; always visit your healthcare professional.

Building healthy sleep habits now may not only improve your rest but could also help in preventing cognitive decline, obesity, anxiety, and other health issues later in life.

References

1. Suni, Eric, and Eric Suni. “100+ Sleep Statistics.” Sleep Foundation. Accessed July 10, 2025. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/sleep-facts-statistics.

2. Karna, Bibek, Abdulghani Sankari, and Geethika Tatikonda. “Sleep Disorder.” In StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 2025. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560720/.

3. Ferini‐Strambi, Luigi. “Sleep Disorders and Increased Risk of Dementia.” European Journal of Neurology 29, no. 12 (December 2022): 3484–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.15562.

4. Ungvari, Zoltan, Mónika Fekete, Andrea Lehoczki, Gyöngyi Munkácsy, János Tibor Fekete, Virág Zábó, György Purebl, Péter Varga, Anna Ungvari, and Balázs Győrffy. “Sleep Disorders Increase the Risk of Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Cognitive Decline: A Meta-Analysis.” GeroScience 47, no. 3 (April 11, 2025): 4899–4920. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-025-01637-2.

5. Tsai, Chin-Hsien, et al. “Increased Risk of Dementia in Patients with Primary Sleep Disorders: A Nationwide Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.” Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 14, no. 4 (2018): 593–602. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7034.

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