Body clock disturbances may contribute to dementia risk, evidence suggests

• Circadian rhythm refers to the changes that occur in organisms over a 24-hour period.
• Rest and activity patterns throughout the day are one way to explore components of circadian rhythm.
• One study found that more fragmented and weaker circadian rest activity rhythms and having peak activity time later in the day were linked to an increased risk for dementia.

Circadian rhythms describe the body’s natural, roughly 24-hour internal clock. They regulate changes that occur throughout the day and can impact aspects like sleep, waking, and appetite.

A recent study explored rest and activity rhythms (RARs), which “are behavioral markers of circadian rhythms,” and how they relate to risk for dementia.

The study was published in Neurology, which is the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The findings suggest that people with disrupted RARs may have a higher risk of dementia.