Daytime sleepiness is a common complaint among many people. Whether it is fatigue, stress or bad routine, we feel sleepy during the day due to many reasons, but do you know that it can also be an early sign of a serious disease like dementia? Yes, this has been revealed in a recent study. Let's try to know more about this in depth.

What is dementia?

Dementia is a disorder in which a person's ability to think, remember and make decisions gradually diminishes. This is due to damage to brain cells. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia.

What is the connection between daytime sleepiness and dementia?

A recent research published in the Neurology Journal suggests that excessive daytime sleepiness could be a possible early symptom of dementia. Daytime sleepiness, lack of interest in work, lack of interest in any work, all such symptoms can be early signs of dementia. This is called Motor Cognitive Risk (MCR). Early detection of this can play a very important role in preventing or preventing dementia. However, this alone is not a diagnosis of dementia. Many other factors can also be responsible for this problem.

How to understand that this is a sign of dementia?

• Connection with other symptoms- If daytime sleepiness is accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of memory, difficulty in speaking, difficulty in making decisions or changes in personality, it could be a sign of dementia.
• Gradually increasing problem- If the problem of daytime sleepiness is gradually increasing and other daily tasks are getting affected, then it can be a matter of concern.
• Finding out other reasons- There can be other reasons for daytime sleepiness, such as lack of sleep , depression, fatigue, side effects of medicines, etc. Try to pay attention to these reasons as well.

What to do if you notice symptoms of a problem like MCR?

• Contact the doctor – If you are feeling excessively sleepy during the day and other symptoms of dementia are also visible, then contact the doctor immediately.
• Get a complete checkup done – The doctor may do some tests based on your symptoms and medical history.
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle- Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep can help keep your brain healthy.
• Stress management- Stress can increase the risk of dementia. So practice stress management techniques .