April 22, 2015
The repercussions of a restless night’s sleep may seem to last just until the next time you catch some z’s.
But, according to a study published this month in the journal Neurology and detailed in U.S. News & World Report article, sleep issues like apnea and heavy snoring may be linked to long-term health implications, including a decline in mental capabilities and memory.
Sleep issues may be linked to long-term health implications, including a decline in mental capabilities and memory.
The study, led by Dr. Ricardo S. Osorio of the NYU School of Medicine in New York, looked at data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and the brain scans of more than 2,000 adults between the ages of 55 and 90. Researchers compared two groups: those who had received treatment for sleep disorders and those with untreated sleep disorders and those with untreated sleep disorders and those without sleep disorders. The study found those with disorder sleeping patterns were diagnosed with mild mental impairments around 10 years earlier than those without sleep problems.
Treating abnormal breathing patterns with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) delivered through a mask during sleep seemed to reduce the risk of developing cognitive issues earlier.
Those who developed mild mental decline and had sleep-disordered breathing started showing signs at an average age of 77, while those without the breathing troubles started showing signs at an average age of 90.
Among those who developed Alzheimer's, the disease was seen earlier among those with sleep-disordered breathing (an average age of 83) compared to an average age of 88 among those without breathing issues.
The good news is that treating abnormal breathing patterns with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) delivered through a mask during sleep seemed to delay the earlier onset of cognitive issues, Osorio and colleagues found.
The study was funded by the Foundation for Research in Sleep Disorders and the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.
To read the full study report, click here. To read the full U.S. News & World Report article, click here.
