Is routine daily activity and sleep schedule important for cognition in older age?

Study Summary

New research, including 1800 participants, suggests that consistent patterns with exercise and early wake cycles may improve cognitive scores for older adults. Researchers found that getting up early consistently and creating an active routine daily leads to greater happiness and cognitive scores for older adults.

Those who woke up later were more prone to depressive symptoms and poorer cognition.

Researchers concluded that activity pattern disruption is associated with health issues for older adults.

The Hearty Take

In general, there is a research consensus that sleeping earlier and waking earlier is better for health. Due to this consensus, an early start may be optimal for healthspan. This holds true for early bird older adults who not only reap the health benefits of being early risers, but also remain more active throughout their days.