Sleep: Your Secret Weapon for a Stronger Future
TILDA shows poor sleep is linked with cognitive decline, increased disease risk, and impaired stress response—but movement and mental well-being can improve it.
Get your rest right. We provide practical, evidence-based tips: Aim for 7–9 hours a night, get morning sunlight to set your body clock, and establish a calm wind-down routine to maximize your deep, restorative sleep.
Watch the Sleep Series below: Presenter Shannon Keenan chats with Dr Siobhan Scarlett about setting a sleep goal and creating habits that ensure you get the quality rest your body needs to thrive.
Video 1: Sleep & Cognitive Health: Think You're Sleeping Enough? Think Again
Struggling to focus? This video explores how poor sleep quality is linked to cognitive decline and memory loss. Learn why deep sleep is crucial for clearing toxins from the brain, and why people who consistently sleep less than 6 hours have a higher risk of developing dementia.
Scarlett, S., O’Halloran, A. M., McHugh Power, J. E., & Kenny, R. A. (2021). Discrepancies in self-reported and actigraphy-based sleep duration are associated with self-reported insomnia symptoms. *Sleep Health*, 7(6), 675–682.
Scarlett, S., Kenny, R.A., O'Connell, M.D., Nolan, H. and De Looze, C., 2021. Associations between cognitive function, actigraphy‐based and self‐reported sleep in older community‐dwelling adults: Findings from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. *International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry*, 36(5), pp.731-742.
Video 2: Sleep & Physical Activity: Still tossing and turning? Maybe what you need is movement
This video explores the two-way street between rest and movement. Exercise improves deep sleep and helps regulate your body clock, while poor sleep reduces muscle recovery and makes workouts feel harder. TILDA research highlights that physically active adults have better sleep patterns and lower rates of insomnia.
Hernández et al., Investigation of the Role of Sleep and Physical Activity for Chronic Disease Prevalence and Incidence in Older Irish Adults. *Journal of Aging and Physical Activity*, 29(5), 890–898.
Video 3: Sleep & Longevity: This One Habit Could Add Years to Your Life
Want to live longer? Start prioritizing your sleep. Poor sleep increases chronic inflammation and raises the risk of heart disease. People who sleep less than 6 hours per night have a shorter life expectancy. Learn how aiming for 7–9 hours strengthens immunity, lowers stress, and supports long-term health.
Hernández, B., Scarlett, S., Moriarty, F., Romero-Ortuno, R., Kenny, R. A., & Reilly, R. (2022). Investigation of the role of sleep and physical activity for chronic disease prevalence and incidence in older Irish adults. *BMC Public Health*, 22, 1711.
De Looze, C., Feeney, J.C., Scarlett, S., Hirst, R., Knight, S.P., Carey, D., Meaney, J.F. and Kenny, R.A., 2022. Sleep duration, sleep problems, and perceived stress are associated with hippocampal subfield volumes in later life: findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. *Sleep*, 45(1), p.zsab241.