Health Alert: This habit is prematurely aging the brain, and elderly-like diseases are occurring at a young age..

Brain Health: The brain is the master of our body, telling us what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and what not to do. For example, it plays a crucial role in the functioning of the entire body. However, health experts say that the disruption of people's daily routines and eating habits is directly affecting brain health. Not only have brain-related problems increased among younger people, but certain habits are also causing premature aging of the brain.

In today's fast-paced life, sleep has become our biggest sacrifice. Work pressure, long hours spent on mobile phones and laptops, and changing lifestyles are keeping people awake late into the night. Studies show that this habit is taking a toll on brain health.

Experts believe that sleep acts as a repair tool for our brains. When we sleep, the brain organizes the day's information, helps us remember important things, and provides mental energy to the body. However, people whose sleep is frequently disrupted have been shown to experience premature aging of the brain.

Lack of sleep is prematurely aging the brain.

The National Sleep Foundation reports that all adults should get at least 7-9 hours of sleep daily, while teenagers and children need even more. However, nowadays, people are only getting an average of 5-6 hours of sleep. This has a direct impact on memory, attention, and mental health.

In a study published in The Lancet Discovery Science, eBiomedicine, researchers have linked poor sleep to premature brain aging.

Experts say that people who don't get good or adequate sleep may be at risk for premature aging of the brain, which ages faster than the rest of the body. Sleep disturbances also increase the risk of age-related neurological diseases at a younger age.

What did the study find?

Researchers examined more than 27,000 adults and used brain scans to estimate brain age. People who had moderate or poor sleep, i.e., less than 6 hours a day, had brains that aged beyond their biological age. Those with moderate sleep had brains that aged 0.6 years, while those with very poor sleep had brains that aged more than a year beyond their biological age.

Dangers of Lack of Sleep

Researchers found that lack of sleep increases the risk of chronic inflammation, a major cause of brain aging. Approximately 10 percent of the link between insufficient sleep and brain aging is linked to inflammation, which affects brain cells, i.e., neurons. Sleep deprivation causes brain cell damage over time, leading to accelerated brain aging.

Scientists say that lack of sleep causes harmful proteins to accumulate in the brain, increasing the risk of diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. These diseases are more common after the age of 65, but are now occurring in people over 50.

Risk of Neurological Diseases

Long-term sleep deprivation not only leads to fatigue and stress but can also lead to serious neurological diseases. Research shows that during sleep, the brain activates the glymphatic system, which clears harmful toxins and waste products. If sleep is insufficient, these harmful substances can accumulate, leading to a risk of many diseases.

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