Experiencing daytime sleepiness is something that is usually perceived as a minor inconvenience, but for older adults, it could be an early warning sign of Dementia. This neurodegenerative disease leads to the progressive decline of brain cells. This eventually

affects memory, cognition, and personality, making everyday tasks more difficult. As one of the fastest-growing neurological disorders across the world, dementia poses a significant health threat to ageing populations.

Is Dementia Linked To Poor Sleep?

For this study, researchers followed 445 older adults (average age 76) over three years, aiming to determine whether poor sleep could increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which often leads to dementia. At the start, none of the participants had MCI, but by the end of the study, 36 individuals had developed the condition.

The researchers discovered that participants with poor sleep were more likely to develop MCI compared to those who slept well. However, when depression symptoms were taken into account, the link between poor sleep and MCI became less pronounced, suggesting that while sleep issues are a concern, mental health also plays a key role in dementia risk.

To assess sleep quality, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used, evaluating factors such as sleep duration, disturbances, and daytime alertness. Among these, "daytime dysfunction"—defined as excessive sleepiness and low energy during the day—was most strongly associated with an increased risk of MCI. Those experiencing daytime dysfunction were more than three times as likely to develop MCI as those who didn’t report such symptoms.

There are many types of dementia:

Dementia is not a specific disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is an overall term that describes a decline in mental ability that interferes with daily life. People with dementia often have symptoms like trouble remembering, thinking, or making everyday decisions. These symptoms tend to get worse over time.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, and it mostly affects the elderly. Each form of dementia has a different cause. Though dementia mostly affects older adults, it is not a part of normal ageing. An estimated 6.7 million older adults have Alzheimer's disease in the United States. That number is expected to double by 2060, as per data from the CDC.

In 2022, 3.8% of men and 4.2% women in US were diagnosed with dementia. The percentage of people increase with age from 1.7% for those aged 65-74 to 13.1% for those aged 85 and older. Alzheimer's accounts for 60 to 80% of all dementia cases and it is most prevalent in California, Florida, and Texas, as these states have the highest number of people.

The NHS is seeing a significant rise in emergency department visits among children aged 6-9 for mental health issues in England, according to an alarming new report.

According to an analysis by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the rise has been fastest among the youngest children.

Attendances among 6–9-year-olds increased by 62% between 2019 and 2025, rising from 3,870 to 6,269. The report said this was the fastest rate of increase among all age groups.

“This is [a] faster rate of increase than any other age group. This finding is particularly worrying given the vulnerable nature of young children’s neurodevelopment and the potential of suffering for those children longer term without early intervention,” the report stated.

NHS England data also shows a 36% rise in mental health-related emergency attendances since 2019.

Children Reaching A&E In Mental Health Crisis

Children and young people are turning up at emergency departments in significant distress, including cases involving self-harm, eating disorders and emotional crises.

The figures, obtained by the RCPCH through a Freedom of Information request submitted to NHS England in April 2026, show that 75,491 children and young people aged 6–17 attended emergency departments with a recorded mental health concern in 2025.

This represents a 36% increase from 2019, when there were 55,525 such attendances.

Children Waiting Hours In Emergency Departments

The data also shows a growing number of children becoming, in effect, stuck in emergency departments while waiting for appropriate mental health support and a safe place to be discharged to.

The number of children and young people staying more than 12 hours in A&E rose by 217%, from 1,964 in 2019 to 6,235 in 2025.

Within this group, the number staying for more than 72 hours rose by 514%, from 55 in 2019 to 338 in 2025.

Experts Calls For Urgent Action

Dr Ronny Cheung, RCPCH Officer for Health Services, said the figures should serve as a wake-up call for the government.

“This must be a wake-up call for government. The growing number of children reaching crisis point with their mental health is deeply alarming, particularly among younger children. Without urgent action to provide support earlier, we risk storing up serious problems for the future, including more young people falling out of education, employment and training, where poor mental health is already a major driver.”

Government Plans New Mental Health Strategy

The government said it was looking to improve services and would be setting out plans soon. It is planning to publish a new mental health strategy later in the summer.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said improvements were already being made, including investment in mental health teams for schools and more than 150 new mental health hubs in community locations such as banks and libraries.

“No child should have to reach crisis point before getting the support they need,” he said, according to the BBC.

Over 1 Million Children Referred For Mental Health Support

More than one million children in England had active referrals to mental health services in 2025, with anxiety remaining the leading reason for seeking support, according to a report published in June.

The annual report by Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza warned that England is facing a growing children’s mental health crisis.

New data for 2024–25 shows that 1,048,965 children had an active referral to Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) — nearly double the number recorded in 2018–19 and almost 10% higher than the previous year.

Ischemic strokes are usually treated by removing the blood clot. But it may not be enough. New research has emerged, claiming that the brain’s own response to the stroke may keep causing damage even after the original blockage has been cleared.

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences have found a process in which the body’s defence mechanism can backfire, producing tiny blood clots that damage brain tissue.

The findings may explain why two people with seemingly similar strokes can have completely different recoveries.

What Happens When One Has An Ischemic Stroke?

An ischemic stroke happens when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel supplying the brain. The severed oxygen supply can rapidly injure brain cells.

Doctors can restore the cerebral blood flow by using medicines to bust the blood clot or, in more severe cases, surgically removing the clot through a procedure called thrombectomy. But restoring blood flow does not necessarily mean the damage immediately stops.

The new research suggests that the immune system, which normally helps the body respond to injury, can become part of the problem.

Also read: Sweetener In Sugar-Free Gum Linked To 57% Higher Heart Attack And Stroke Risk: What Is Xylitol?

How Can Tiny Clots Cause More Brain Damage?

When a stroke occurs, the body's defence system springs into action to prevent the injury and begin the repair process as soon as possible. But, researchers found that this defensive response can also promote the formation of micro-clots.

Micro-clots are far smaller than the original clot that caused the stroke. Because of their size, they can obstruct tiny blood vessels that are even more difficult to detect or treat using conventional techniques to remove clots.

The result can be reduced blood flow and additional injury to brain tissue, even after the main artery has been reopened.

Also read: Vitamin D3 Outperforms D2 In Maintaining Muscle, Heart Function, Shows ICMR Study

Two Patients With Similar Strokes May Recover Differently

The research offers one possible explanation for the wide differences seen in stroke recovery. Removing the major clot may restore circulation through the main blood vessel, but if microscopic vessels remain blocked, some areas of the brain may continue receiving inadequate blood supply and thus get damaged further

That could contribute to ongoing tissue damage and poorer neurological recovery, researchers suggest.

It also highlights why simply measuring whether the original artery that has been reopened may not tell the whole story of what is happening inside the brain.

Effect On Stroke Treatment

The findings are still at the early research stage, so it does not mean that patients currently need a different treatment for stroke after thrombectomy.

But, understanding how these secondary micro-clots form could eventually open another avenue for treatment that could prevent further damage to the brain.

Instead of focusing only on removing the large clot that triggered the stroke, future treatment strategies could target the biological processes that cause these microscopic blockages to form.

A new study found that nearly 8 out of 10, or 80%, of young adults in the US, with an average age of 23, had cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome.

Published in Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes, the study found that these young adults had CKM syndrome at Stage 1, 2 or 3, meaning they had excess adiposity, metabolic risk factors and/or evidence of subclinical cardiovascular disease.

Young Adults Already Showing CKM Risk

The study included 1,283 young adults from large US cities. About 21% had no identifiable CKM risk factors (Stage 0), while none were in Stage 4.

More advanced CKM stages were associated with early arterial injury, including thicker carotid artery walls, an early marker of atherosclerosis, even among people in their early 20s.

Researchers said the findings highlight the need to begin prevention earlier in life. They also suggested promoting the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 early in life to improve cardiovascular health.

Life’s Essential 8 focuses on

• healthy eating,
• physical activity,
• avoiding tobacco,
• healthy sleep,
• healthy weight,
• healthy cholesterol,
• healthy blood sugar,
• healthy blood pressure.

What The Findings Mean For Young Adults

“The findings are important because they show that cardiovascular risk can begin building much earlier than we traditionally expect. We often associate heart disease with middle age or older adults, but risk factors such as excess weight, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and elevated blood sugar can develop silently in young adults,” Dr. Gobu P, Senior Consultant Cardiology, Gleneagles Chennai, told HealthandMe.

Dr. Chetan Kumar H. B, Senior Consultant, Cardiology, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru, added that heart, kidney and metabolic health issues can start much earlier than traditionally thought. While heart disease becomes more common with age, the risk factors that lead to it can begin developing in early adulthood.

The findings do not mean that these young adults already have heart disease. Rather, the association between advanced CKM risk and early arterial changes highlights the importance of identifying and addressing risk factors early.

Why Early Checks Matter

Read More: Fifth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction: What the 3 New Heart Attack Categories Mean

Young adults do not necessarily need extensive cardiac investigations simply because of their age. However, those who are overweight, have high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of premature heart disease should consider regular health checks.

“Monitoring blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and maintaining a healthy weight can help identify risks early. Early intervention through lifestyle changes, and medication when required, can significantly reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease later in life,” Dr. Gobu said.

Dr. Chetan noted that unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity, obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and rising blood sugar levels are increasingly seen at younger ages. These problems can develop silently and gradually affect the heart, kidneys and blood vessels.

“Young adults should not wait until they are symptomatic to start paying attention to their health. Simple tests like blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight can go a long way in identifying risks early, especially in those with a family history of diabetes, hypertension, kidney or heart disease," he told HealthandMe.

The experts stressed that the findings should be viewed as a call for prevention rather than alarm. Identifying and addressing risk factors early could help protect long-term heart, kidney and metabolic health.