Link Between Sleep and Dementia: What you Need To Know

Last week, a therapist told me about her client, an 82-year-old woman who hadn’t had more than 6 hours of sleep in years. “It’s just part of getting older,” the woman sighed.

But here’s the truth—fatigue isn’t a normal part of aging, and chronic sleep problems may be quietly raising her risk for dementia. As professionals, we can no longer shrug off insomnia in older adults. The stakes are simply too high.


In this episode, I reveal the powerful connection between chronic sleep problems and dementia risk—and why ignoring insomnia symptoms can have lasting consequences for brain health.


Here's What You'll Learn In This Episode:
✅ Why half of older adults report insomnia symptoms (even if they don’t meet full diagnostic criteria)
✅ How sleep architecture changes with age—and why that’s not the same as insomnia
✅ The role of deep sleep in clearing beta amyloid, consolidating memory, and regulating emotions
✅ Three major research studies linking short sleep duration to higher dementia risk
✅ Five practical steps you can take to assess and improve sleep in older adults
✅ Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold standard, especially for people 65+
✅ The dangers of common over-the-counter sleep aids for older adults
✅ How collaborating with primary care and sleep medicine providers can change outcomes




As professionals, we hold the keys to better brain health in aging—often starting with something as simple, yet essential, as quality sleep.

👉 Get all of the resources in this episode here: https://www.mentalhealthandaging.com/...
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👉 Become an Aging Informed Therapist with our CEU courses for psychologists, social workers, therapists, counselors, aging life care experts: https://courses.mentalhealthandaging....

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ABOUT DR. REGINA KOEPP & THE CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH & AGING
This is your go-to resource for mental health and aging. I’m Dr. Regina Koepp, a clinical geropsychologist and founder of the Center for Mental Health & Aging. Each week I share expert insights on mental health, aging, dementia, caregiving, and end of life.

We're creating a national movement to elevate mental health for older adults—because there is no expiration date on healing, transformation, or love.

Remember: It's only with your help that we can meet the mental health needs of older adults. So thank you for being here.

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DISCLAIMER:
The material on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. Any comments Dr. Koepp may make on the show, blog, or in response to an individual’s story or comments should not be construed as establishing a psychologist-patient relationship between Dr. Koepp and the individual. None of Dr. Koepp's show, website, social media, comments, or group information should be considered a substitute for individualized medical or mental health assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Koepp is only representing herself in her show, blogs, and on her website.