Both short and long sleep durations are associated with cognitive impairment among community-dwelling Chinese older adults

This study aims to examine the association between sleep duration and cognitive impairment in community-dwelling Chinese older adults. The associations between sleep duration and cognitive function have been widely studied across various age ranges but are of particular importance among older adults. However, there are inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between sleep duration and cognitive function in the literature. This study is an observational cross-sectional study. We analyzed data from 1115 Chinese individuals aged 60 and older from 3 Chinese communities (Beijing, Hefei, and Lanzhou). Cognitive impairment was defined as a Mini-Mental State Examination total score less than 24 points. Odds ratios (ORs) of associations were calculated and adjusted for potential confounders in logistic regression models. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 25.7% (n = 287). Controlling for all demographic, lifestyle factors, and coexisting conditions, the adjusted OR for cognitive impairment was 2.54 (95% CI = 1.70-3.80) with <6 hours sleep and 2.39 (95% CI = 1.41-4.06) with >8 hours sleep. Both short and long sleep durations were related to worse cognitive function among community-dwelling Chinese elderly adults.