We have all had days when we get less sleep and functioning without these hours can also prove difficult. However, feeling disoriented is not the only problem you may face here. A new long-term study from the Mayo Clinic has found a strong connection between chronic insomnia and changes in the brain that can lead to dementia. For older adults, staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. isn't just a nuisance; it may be actively harming the brain.

Have previous studies found this link? Yes, studies like the 2022 review published in the Frontiers in Neurology which found several links to Alzheimer’s including sleep. Their research showed that lack of sleep can increase stress hormones, lower levels of a protein that supports brain health, and reduce the number of connections between your brain cells. All of these factors can help Alzheimer's disease develop and get worse.

The Mayo clinic study has pinpointed the exact components that may be responsible for this stress.

What Causes The Link Between Sleep and Dementia

The study followed 2,750 people over 50 for more than five years. Researchers looked at two key markers of future brain trouble:

• The buildup of amyloid plaques
• Tiny areas of damage in the brain's white matter, called white-matter hyperintensities.

These are both signs that the brain is on a path toward cognitive decline. The study found that people with chronic insomnia experienced a faster decline in their memory and thinking skills. They were also 40% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

Does Lack Of Sleep Make You Older?

The research showed that chronic insomnia paired with unusually short sleep was especially damaging. These individuals performed as if they were four years older on memory tests and had more amyloid plaques and white-matter damage.

The study also confirmed that people with the ApoE4 gene, a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's, declined faster. The effect of insomnia was so significant that it was comparable to the effect of having this high-risk gene. Scientists believe that ApoE4 may worsen the damage from sleepless nights by making it harder for the brain to clear out amyloid and by making blood vessels more vulnerable to inflammation.

Can Treating Insomnia Prevent Dementia?

Poor sleep seems to push the brain toward dementia through multiple pathways, including increasing amyloid buildup, damaging blood vessels, and possibly raising blood pressure and blood sugar.

So, can treating insomnia prevent dementia? The answer isn’t so clear yet. The study found no obvious benefit from participants taking sleeping pills. While some newer drugs show promise, the research on them is still limited. The most effective treatment for insomnia, called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), helps about 70% of patients sleep better, but it's still unproven whether it also protects the brain from dementia.

The link between the two conditions is complex. Poor sleep often goes hand-in-hand with other health problems like depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and sleep apnea—all of which can also harm the brain. It will take more research to figure out the best way to intervene and when to do it for the greatest benefit.

Why Young Adults Should Focus On Sleep Health?

While the study focused on older adults, other research shows that routinely getting less than six hours of sleep a night in your 50s is already linked to a higher risk of dementia decades later.

This suggests that we shouldn't wait until retirement to start thinking about brain health. Focusing on getting good sleep in midlife, along with managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and exercise, is a smart strategy.

In the end, this study adds to a growing body of evidence that good-quality sleep is a key pillar of brain health. Chronic insomnia seems to speed up both amyloid buildup and silent blood-vessel damage, pushing the brain toward cognitive decline. Scientists are still working to understand if and when treating sleep problems can truly help prevent dementia.

In today’s hyper-connected, always-on work culture, long hours and erratic shifts are quietly eating into one of the most essential pillars of health.. A new study by Truworth Wellness, India Workplace Wellbeing Report 2025: From Access to Outcomes, reveals how sleep deprivation, chronic diseases, and poor preventive care are undermining employees during their prime working years.

Sleep Deprivation: A Silent Productivity KillerThe report, based on health data from over 46,000 employees across industries, found that nearly 1 in 10 workers suffer from sleep disorders, most of them between ages 23 and 39. This lack of rest translates to 11.3 lost workdays per employee every year, costing companies an estimated ₹2.1 lakh annually, as per the study.

Chronic Conditions Striking Earlier

Obesity and the Prevention Gap

Poor Sleep Is Leading To Poor Mental Health

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How Companies Can RespondTo tackle the crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends:

• Training managers to recognize and respond to emotional distress.
• Mental health literacy programs to reduce stigma and raise awareness.
• Stress management and lifestyle interventions such as physical activity and psychosocial support.

The Business Case for Better Sleep

A Wake-Up Call for Corporate Industries

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By moving beyond generic wellness programs and focusing on measurable outcomes, Indian organizations can turn employee health into a strategic advantage. Embedding sleep, stress management, and preventive care into workplace wellness not only improves productivity but also builds a resilient workforce. The Truworth Wellness India Workplace Wellbeing Report 2025, conducted in collaboration with People Matters, highlights these insights and provides a roadmap for companies to act before small health risks escalate into costly chronic conditions.

Half of all American adults have high blood pressure, also called hypertension, yet many don’t even know it. High blood pressure occurs when blood flows through your arteries at higher-than-normal pressures. Recently, cases of high blood pressure have been rising rapidly in the U.S. and globally. As these numbers climb, regularly checking your blood pressure becomes essential.

According to the 2025 American Heart Association Statistical Update, nearly half of U.S. adults, around 122 million people, have high blood pressure, a leading preventable cause of heart disease, stroke, and early death. Shockingly, only about one in four have their condition under control. To help you stay on top of your numbers, here’s a detailed guide to understanding blood pressure.

Blood Pressure Readings ExplainedBlood pressure is written as two numbers separated by a slash, such as 120/80 mm Hg, which can be read as “120 over 80 millimeters of mercury.”

The first number, or systolic pressure, measures the force of blood against artery walls when the heart pumps.

The second number, or diastolic pressure, measures the pressure when the heart rests between beats.

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Blood pressure naturally changes throughout the day depending on activity, stress, and other factors. A healthy reading is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Blood pressure is considered high when systolic readings are 130 mm Hg or higher or diastolic readings are 80 mm Hg or higher.

New Blood Pressure Guidelines by the American Heart Association

• Earlier Treatment: People with a 10-year cardiovascular risk of 10% or more are advised to start medication along with lifestyle changes.
• Personalized Risk Assessment: Doctors may use the PREVENT™️ calculator to estimate 10-year risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart failure.
• Expanded Lab Testing: Tests such as the urine albumin:creatinine ratio help tailor treatment plans.
• Lifestyle First: Limit sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day, maintain a healthy weight, and stay physically active.
• Alcohol Limits: Men: 2 drinks/day; women: 1 drink/day.

Blood Pressure Monitoring

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Home monitoring is particularly important for:

• Anyone already diagnosed with high blood pressure.
• People starting or adjusting high blood pressure treatments, to see if they are working.
• Individuals who require closer monitoring, especially those with risk factors for high blood pressure or related health conditions.

It was an ordinary afternoon for an 81-year-old woman. She was managing her blood pressure and cholesterol just fine. Then, the phone rang. The news hit her instantly: her younger brother had died unexpectedly during a simple operation.

The wave of grief was huge. Immediately, a terrifying crisis began: a crushing, never-ending pain exploded in her chest. It was the worst pain she'd ever felt—a perfect 10 out of 10. She knew this wasn't just sadness; her body was sounding a life-threatening alarm. She rushed to the emergency room.

In the hospital, doctors immediately treated her for a major heart attack because all the evidence pointed towards it. The EKG (Electrocardiogram) reading was severely abnormal, suggesting an artery was blocked.

However, what confused the doctors was what they found after. Her angiogram, an artery check which allows them to locate the blockage came out perfectly clean, which meant that the pain wasn’t caused by a blockage.

Instead, the test revealed the actual problem: her heart had taken on an unusual shape. The bottom tip, or apex, had ballooned out, creating the shape of a Japanese "octopus pot"—the signature sign of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. The extreme emotional shock had temporarily paralyzed her heart, dropping its pumping strength to a dangerous 25%.

What is ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’?

This patient's story is a textbook example of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, famously known as "Broken Heart Syndrome" published in the 2022 Cureus Journal of Medical Science. It proves that intense stress, like sudden, shocking news, can physically harm the heart.

The current theory is that the surge of stress hormones (like adrenaline) during emotional shock becomes toxic to the heart muscle. It stuns the muscle, causing the heart to fail dramatically, acting exactly like a heart attack, even when the arteries are totally fine.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, this condition affects mostly women and account for 89% of all reported cases.

This case is a vital lesson for doctors: if an older woman comes in with heart attack symptoms right after a major emotional shock, they must consider Takotsubo. Though terrifying, the good news is that the heart muscle damage is usually temporary and reversible. It shows a profound truth: your mind and your heart are powerfully, and sometimes dangerously, connected.

How Common Is Broken Heart Syndrome?

There are many cases of broken heart syndrome, one such case, reported by Women’s Health, showcased the story of a 69-year-old Linda who thought she had a bad case of bronchitis. When her symptoms did not get any better, her loved ones implored her to visit the doctor. However, the problem did not lie in her lungs but her heart. Her left ventricle, the main pumping chamber, had swollen up like a balloon and stopped working right. Linda was completely shocked, as she never for a moment thought her symptoms were heart-related.

For Linda, doctors believe the extreme stress came from a bitter family argument. For months before her diagnosis, her sister was accusing her over their dying mother’s estate. Linda recalled being so stressed she felt like she "wanted to run into the street and scream."

Can You Fix A ‘Broken Heart’ Syndrome?

Treatment for the "broken heart" focuses on helping the heart recover during the first critical days:

Immediate Care

Doctors work to manage the patient's symptoms and support the weak heart. They have to be careful to avoid certain drugs, like those that try to force the heart to pump harder (inotropic drugs), as these can sometimes make the problem worse.

Preventing Clots

Because the bottom part of the heart isn't moving well, blood can pool there, raising the risk of clots. To stop this, patients are often given blood thinners (anticoagulation therapy).

Once the patient is stable, doctors often prescribe medications like beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors. These drugs help the heart muscle heal and pump more efficiently while the patient recovers.

Unlike a traditional heart attack where damage is permanent, the heart muscle damaged by Takotsubo usually bounces back. While a significant recovery period is needed, patients typically have a good long-term outlook.