Written By: Muskan Gupta | Published : May 14, 2026 2:36 PM IST
A new study has found that getting the right amount of sleep may help lower the risk of dementia in people with focal epilepsy. Researchers say that sleeping for around six to eight hours a night was linked to better brain function and lower dementia risk compared to poor sleep habits
Focal epilepsy is a type of epilepsy in which seizures start in one part of the brain. There is a substantial number of individuals with epilepsy already have issues associated with memory, concentration and thinking abilities. It has long been recognized that there is a connection between sleep and epilepsy as seizures can affect sleep and vice versa.
The new research published by The National Library of Medicine in the medical journal American Academy of Neurology journal Neurology focused on data from over 482,000 individuals in the U.K. Biobank study which are adults. The participants ranged in age from 38 to 72 and were not demented at the beginning of the study.
Study participants included those with focal epilepsy, stroke suffers and healthy controls. Those who went to bed consistently by 6 to 8 hours showed greater ability to do tasks involving executive function, such as memory, concentration, decision making and problem solving. The positive effect of proper sleep was even stronger in people with focal epilepsy.
The authors also found that individuals with focal epilepsy who were most likely to experience poor sleep results in a strikingly elevated risk of later life developing dementia. The researchers estimate that people with focal epilepsy and a constellation of non-optimal sleep characteristics had about five times the risk of dementia as healthy individuals with optimal sleep.
The findings are significant because sleep is one of the things that can often be affected by lifestyle change and treatment, scientists say. Having a consistent bedtime routine, limiting screen time before bed, staying away from caffeine in the hours just before bedtime and addressing sleep problems may help with sleep quality.
The researchers also pointed out an association between poor sleep and a decline in brain function years prior to an epilepsy diagnosis. This may mean that "sleep problems" are a potential early indicator for some patients.
Scientists explained, however, that the study merely demonstrates a correlation and not that the bad sleep leads to dementia. Further research is required to determine the exact impact epilepsy sleep has on the brain.
Researchers say the results underscore the relevance of the healthy sleep practices for the health of the brain. Enhancing sleep could be a future aspect of the treatment of epilepsy, the researchers said.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individuals experiencing sleep disorders, epilepsy, memory problems, or neurological symptoms should consult a qualified healthcare professional for proper evaluation and care.
