Sleep apnea, a severe sleep disorder associated with various chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, strokes, and heart attacks, is now found to also contribute to cognitive impairments, including memory and thinking problems.
According to the findings of a recent study, individuals with symptoms of sleep apnea are approximately 50% more prone to reporting memory or cognitive issues compared to those without such symptoms.
Sleep apnea occurs when individuals repeatedly stop and resume breathing during sleep, causing symptoms such as snoring, snorting, and gasping. The affected individuals may also experience morning headaches and difficulty concentrating on tasks.
The latest study identified a positive association between sleep apnea and cognitive decline. However, the researchers have not examined if sleep apnea causes cognitive decline.
“Sleep apnea is a common disorder that is often underdiagnosed, yet treatments are available. Our study found participants who had sleep apnea symptoms had greater odds of having memory or thinking problems,” study author Dominique Low said in a news release.
Researchers collected questionnaires from 4,257 people who were asked to report their sleep quality and memory and thinking problems. The sleep quality was measured in terms of symptoms such as snorting, gasping, or breathing pauses in their sleep. For assessing memory and thinking, participants were asked questions related to difficulty remembering, periods of confusion, difficulty concentrating, or problems with decision-making.
The results revealed that among 1,079 participants displaying symptoms of sleep apnea, 33%, equivalent to 357 individuals, exhibited signs of memory or cognitive issues. In contrast, 20% of those without sleep apnea symptoms, totaling 628 people, reported similar problems.
“After adjusting for other factors that could affect memory and thinking problems, such as age, race, gender, and education, researchers found that people who reported…
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