Does the timing of your daily activity affect your brain health? Scientists answer.
A recent study revealed that people whose daily activity peaks during the early morning hours are less likely to develop dementia, compared to those who are more active in the afternoon or evening.
Scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern found that older adults who were most productive after 2 p.m. were more likely to develop dementia than those who were active earlier in the day.
Researchers explained that the energy surges in the afternoon disrupt the body’s normal functions, preventing it from getting rid of toxic proteins that accumulate in the brain , according to the British newspaper “Daily Mail”.
To reach these conclusions, the researchers tracked the cognitive health of more than 2,000 elderly people, with an average age of 79, over a period of three years, noting that they did not have dementia at the start of the study.
The participants underwent a 12-day test to measure their daily rhythm by wearing small devices to monitor their heart rate .
They were then divided into two groups: one with a strong daily rhythm, and the other with a weak rhythm. The period during which the participants were most active during the day was also measured.
Three years later, researchers discovered that participants who peaked their activity at 2:15 p.m. and later were 45 percent more likely to develop dementia than those who were active earlier.
It was also found that people with a poor circadian rhythm were 2.5 times more likely to develop dementia compared to active participants.
The researchers explained in studies published in the journal “Neurology” that delayed energy bursts may be an indicator of a mismatch between the body’s biological clock and environmental influences such as the alternation of light and darkness.
When this imbalance occurs, the body fails to feel tired at the end of the day, leading to delayed activity. Over time, this imbalance leads to poor sleep, hormonal imbalances , and chronic inflammation in the body, according to research.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Wendy Wang, an assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said that disruptions to the circadian rhythm “may alter vital processes in the body such as inflammation, and may interfere with sleep.”
She added that the combination of these factors may contribute to the development of the disease by “increasing amyloid plaques associated with dementia or reducing the brain’s ability to clear them.”
This research is the latest in a growing body of studies linking disruptions to the body’s circadian rhythm to an increased risk of dementia.
The risk factors for dementia vary, including genetic factors, brain changes, poor nutrition, smoking, and lack of physical activity. There is also increasing evidence linking dementia to disruption of the body’s biological clock.
References
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