Poor sleepers ‘at risk’

THOSE who regularly struggle to sleep at night may be at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life, research suggests.

The exact role sleep plays in keeping the body healthy is still largely a mystery, but many experts believe it gets rids of toxins accumulated by day.

The new US research, published by scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the journal Neurology, found those who slept poorly were more likely to have toxic proteins called amyloid and tau in their spinal fluid – both thought to be key markers of Alzheimer’s.

Study leader Dr Barbara Bendlin stressed not all poor sleepers were at risk.