A recent study led by researchers from Penn State and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that older adults who wake frequently during the night demonstrate poorer cognitive performance the following day, independent of total sleep duration. Published on December 17, 2026, in the journal Sleep Health, the study highlights that the quality of sleep significantly influences cognitive processing speed among older adults.
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The research involved 261 participants aged over 70 from the Einstein Aging Study, who tracked their sleep patterns and cognitive performance over 16 days using devices similar to smartwatches. Participants completed cognitive assessments six times daily, measuring various cognitive functions including processing speed and visual working memory.
On average, participants slept 7.2 hours per night but spent an hour awake during the night. The findings revealed that even an additional 30 minutes of wakefulness led to slower processing speed the next day, with napping and total sleep hours showing no significant effects on cognitive performance.
Orfeu Buxton, a biobehavioral health professor and the study's lead author, noted, "Anyone who has stayed up too late knows that sleep can affect your cognition the next day," emphasizing the importance of sleep quality for cognitive health. Senior author Carol Derby stressed the necessity of understanding the interplay between sleep and cognitive function to better identify individuals at risk for cognitive impairments.
With nearly half of older adults experiencing some level of sleep disruption, the researchers advise against worrying about sleep problems, as stress can exacerbate these issues. Recommendations for healthier sleep include maintaining consistent bedtimes and optimizing the sleep environment by avoiding screens before bed and ensuring a dark, quiet atmosphere.
The research aims to contribute to understanding how sleep influences cognitive aging and potentially delays the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. While there is established evidence linking poor sleep to dementia, it remains unclear whether inadequate sleep is a risk factor or a consequence of the disease. Derby stated, "The work demonstrating the day-to-day impact of sleep quality on cognition among individuals who do not have dementia suggests that disrupted sleep may have an early impact on cognitive health as we age."
The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health and Penn State's research institutes, involving contributions from various experts in sleep and cognitive health.