READ MORE: America's early-onset dementia explosion revealed See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy LUKE ANDREWS, U.S. SENIOR HEALTH CORRESPONDENT Published: 03:55 BST, 13 August 2026 | Updated: 03:55 BST, 13 August 2026
Subtle shifts in how you sleep could be an early indicator of your dementia risk, a study suggests.Everyone has micro awakenings while they sleep, very short periods - usually just a few seconds - when the brain becomes partially awake.Part of a healthy sleep cycle, people typically experience dozens of these every night and they normally do not remember them. Now, however, researchers in Europe are warning that having more micro awakenings at night could be a warning sign that someone is at higher risk of cognitive decline.In a study tracking 500 adults for up to seven years, scientists found that middle-aged adults who had more micro awakenings were more likely to also have genetic markers that raise their risk of Alzheimer's disease. This included genetic markers such as the APOE4 gene, which is linked to a 60 percent higher risk of an Alzheimer's diagnosis by age 85.'These micro awakenings are therefore not insignificant,' said co-author Dr Puneet Talwar, a sleep researcher at the University of Liege, Belgium.'Certain profiles could promote the accumulation of proteins involved in Alzheimer's disease and be associated with increased vulnerability.' Scientists have revealed a subtle shift in how you sleep that could reveal you are at higher risk of suffering from dementia
