The Sleep Problem That Can Mess with Your Brain

Snoring like a chainsaw doesn’t just make your girl lose her mind—it messes with yours, too. Men with certain sleep issues are more likely to develop problems in their brains that are linked to dementia, finds new research from the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System.
In the study, older men who spent the most time snoozing with low levels of oxygen in their blood—common in conditions like sleep apnea—were nearly 4 times as likely to show tiny injuries in their brain tissue called microinfarcts than those who got enough air while they slept. And that's important, because those microscopic brain hitches can herald vascular dementia.
(If you carry a few too many extra pounds, Your Belly Might Be Putting Your Brain in Danger, too.)

Sleeping with too-low levels of oxygen has already been shown to damage your heart. Now, the researchers believe that poor sleep can also spark the production of these brain abnormalities.
How so? Changes in the small blood vessels in the brain—caused by factors like high blood pressure—could reduce the amount of oxygen-rich blood flow to the surrounding areas, says study author Rebecca Gelber, M.D., M.P.H.
So snoozing with low oxygen levels would then mean that even less of the vital element would be delivered to those important brain areas, she says. This can damage the brain tissue and potentially cause those tiny abnormalities.
It’s possible, then, that treating your sleep apnea might actually prevent cognitive decline. Not sure you have it? Common signs of the condition include snoring loudly, waking up choking or gasping for air, feeling sleepy during the day, or experiencing dry mouth or headaches in the morning. (Plus, discover How Sleep Apnea May Hurt Your Memory.)
If that sounds like you, make an appointment with your doctor—you might benefit from a sleep study, says Dr. Gelber.