US EditionWeaker and Fragmented Circadian Rhythms Linked to Higher Dementia Risk
A study of 2,183 older adults found those with the weakest circadian rhythms had 2.5 times higher dementia risk and a 45% higher risk with later daily activity peaks.
- On December 29, 2025, the study published in Neurology found weaker and more irregular circadian rest-activity rhythms were linked to higher dementia risk.
- The study tracked 2,183 adults who wore chest-worn heart monitors about 12 days and were followed for a three-year average, during which 176 people were diagnosed with dementia.
- Comparing the strongest to weakest rhythm groups revealed 31 of 728 in the high group and 106 of 727 in the low developed dementia, with nearly two and a half times risk and 54% per standard-deviation drop in relative amplitude.
- Wang explained that activity peaks at 2:15 p.m. or later are associated with about 10% dementia risk versus about 7% earlier peaks, with disruptions potentially affecting amyloid clearance.
- Researchers cautioned that the findings are associative and lacked data on sleep disorders, e.g., sleep apnea, urging future trials of interventions: light therapy and lifestyle changes.
16 Articles
16 Articles
A Disrupted Body Clock Is Linked to Higher Dementia Risk
A weakening body clock and later daily energy peaks may quietly raise dementia risk. A new study suggests the body’s internal clock, known as circadian rhythm, may play an important role in a person’s risk of developing dementia. More than 2,000 older adults wore small monitors for about 12 days, allowing researchers to track daily [...]
Your sleep and activity patterns may reveal hidden brain health risk, study suggests
The timing of your sleep patterns could be linked to increased dementia risk, according to a new study.Each person's circadian rhythm, often defined as the body's internal 24-hour clock, keeps the body operating on a healthy pattern of sleeping and waking. It also affects other systems in your body, according to Cleveland Clinic.While most people's circadian rhythms are automatically regulated, things like light levels can throw them off balance…
Times of India
The Economic TimesDementia risk associated with weak internal body clock, study suggests
Your body's internal clock could be a key factor in dementia risk. A new study reveals that disrupted sleep-wake cycles are linked to a much higher chance of developing the condition. Researchers found that weaker rhythms and later activity peaks significantly increase dementia risk. This disruption may affect brain processes and sleep, potentially leading to harmful protein buildup.
Weaker body clocks linked to higher dementia risk in older adults
Circadian rhythms that are weaker and more fragmented are linked to an increased risk of dementia, according to a new study published in Neurology. The study also found that circadian rhythm levels that peaked later in the day, rather than earlier, were also linked to an increased risk. The study does not prove that these factors cause dementia, it only shows an association.
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