Snoring isn’t great for your bed partner, and now scientists say isn’t so great for your brain, either.
A study published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society found that those who had less than 90% oxygen saturation overnight—a sign of sleep apnea—had difficulty with attention and concentration the next day.
What’s more, participants who carried a genetic trait that raises the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease—present in about 20% of the population—also showed difficulty with memory and attention.
The lack of oxygen caused by sleep apnea—which is marked by snoring, morning headache and daytime sleepiness—could lead to damage in the blood vessels of the brain, researchers say. “And the changing oxygen levels may spark inflammation, possibility resulting in nerve cell loss in certain areas of your brain, which can lead to cognitive deficits,” reports a July 24 article on MensHealth.com.
Researchers theorized that those who carry the genetic trait that could increase Alzheimer’s risk are more susceptible to the damaging effects that a lack of oxygen creates.
