Sleep Disturbances In Early Adulthood

Recently, multiple studies have highlighted the strong association between sleep disturbances and adverse health outcomes. In addition to its influence on hypertension, diabetes, and obesity (Buxton & Marcelli, 2010), the association between sleep disturbances and cognitive performance, particularly in older adults, has also been recognized. As a result, multiple themes discussed in this course, particularly cognitive reserve, brain plasticity across the life course, and risks to cognitive health with aging, are highly relevant to the study of sleep disturbances. In “What is cognitive reserve? Theory and research application of the reserve concept (2002)”, Stern introduces the cognitive reserve hypothesis, which suggests individuals with more cognitive reserves can have more brain damage without effects on cognitive function, in comparison to those with less of these reserves (Stern, 2002). This hypothesis has been applied to research evaluating the effects of sleep disturbances on cognitive functioning in older adults. For instance, one study found that older adults who have problems with sleep onset and maintenance as well as lower …show more content…
Furthermore, research suggests that increases in brain plasticity require increases in sleep. Due to the relationship between brain plasticity and sleep needs, there is evidence that the sleep demands among older adults may be a result of decreases in opportunities to increase brain plasticity. If further evidence can support this theory, the effects of promoting brain plasticity may be a means by which to improve sleep quality among older adults. Since sleep disturbances, including short sleep, have been linked to increased mortality risk, further research on brain plasticity over the life span and its influence of sleep may be very significant (Cirelli,