![]() ![]() We’ve identified a link between them, suggesting that untreated sleep apnea could lead to earlier onset or faster progression of dementia. ![]() We who research sleep disorders don’t know if sleep apnea can cause dementia. If you’re chronically sleep deprived, you may have lower pain tolerance, problems with attention and short-term memory loss, as well as daytime sleepiness. When people aren’t sleeping, those proteins don’t get cleared out and an accumulation of those pathological proteins is associated with dementia. During sleep, your brain clears out pathological proteins that build up during the day. Sleeping is time for your brain not only to rest but also to heal. Why is getting enough sleep so important? The condition can be serious and contribute to high blood pressure, an irregular heart rhythm, strokes and diabetes, as well as depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. With severe sleep apnea, you typically have 30 or more breathing interruptions an hour throughout sleep, and for some people, it’s over 150. It’s considered normal to occasionally stop and start breathing, especially when you’re dreaming. And that sleep deprivation can make thinking, remembering and concentrating very challenging. Those lapses can keep you from getting enough deep sleep. Throughout the night, you might stop and restart breathing many times and have no idea you’re doing it. That stops your breathing for a few seconds up to minutes, then you wake up and immediately start breathing again. Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the muscles at the back of your throat relax more than they should while you sleep, partially or fully blocking air from going into your body. Besides leaving you sleepy during the day, sleep apnea can cause forgetfulness, as well as trouble concentrating, organizing and planning. The cognitive symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type of sleep apnea, are similar to some of the cognitive symptoms of dementia. Or it could be something you may not have considered: sleep apnea. Stress may be stealing your attention away and causing you to forget more. ![]()
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