Sleep apnea is a problem some people have when they sleep. It means they stop breathing for a little while and then start again. It’s like a pause in their breathing while they are sleeping. But can sleep apnea cause memory loss? Let’s learn more about sleep apnea through this article.
Sleep apnea happens when the muscles in the back of the throat don’t work well during sleep. These muscles are supposed to keep the airway open to breathe properly. But in people with sleep apnea, these muscles sometimes stop working, causing short breaks in breathing.
When someone has sleep apnea and stops breathing for a little while, the oxygen levels in their body go down. Then, the brain quickly wakes them up, so they start breathing normally again. It’s like a little alarm that helps them breathe properly.
Before we learn about the symptoms of sleep apnea and discover “Can sleep apnea cause memory loss,” let’s first understand the nature and types of sleep apnea.
Table of Contents
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a typical rest issue where individuals frequently quit breathing. These stops in breathing can keep going for a couple of moments to a couple of moments and happen frequently during the evening. This happens because the muscles in the throat unwind excessively and block the aviation route.
When this blockage happens, the oxygen levels in the blood go down, and the cerebrum awakens the individual momentarily, so they begin breathing regularly once more. This can happen commonly in one evening and prevents individuals from getting a decent, profound rest. On the off chance that it is not treated, it can cause medical problems.
One of the main signs of sleep apnea is really loud and non stop wheezing, and the individual could cause gagging or heaving sounds as they experience difficulty breathing during rest. Individuals with rest apnea frequently feel exceptionally drained during the day, making it hard to think, and they could get surly or experience difficulty remaining conscious.
They could likewise have cerebral pains in the first part of the day, a dry mouth, or a sensitive throat when they awaken, and their advantage in heartfelt stuff could go down. Not every person who wheezes has rest apnea. However, if somebody wheezes a great deal and has these different issues, it’s smart to see a specialist.
Sleep apnea can happen to anybody, yet a few things, like being overweight, having relatives with it, or disliking the throat, can make it more probable. If it’s not treated, it can cause large medical problems like hypertension, heart issues, stroke, and diabetes. It can likewise make life not as great. Specialists can see whether somebody has rest apnea by doing an extraordinary rest test in a facility or at home utilizing a little gadget.
What are the different types of sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a problem when people have trouble breathing while asleep. There are different kinds of sleep apnea, each with its own reasons and signs.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- Central sleep apnea (CSA)
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome (Treatment-Emergent central sleep apnea)
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA):
The most common type of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It happens because the throat muscles relax too much during sleep and block the airway. This makes people stop breathing for a while, and they might snore loudly or make choking sounds. The brain notices the lack of oxygen and wakes the person up briefly so they start breathing normally again, but it keeps them from having good sleep. OSA can affect people who are overweight, those who have problems with their throat shape, or have family members with the same issue.
Central sleep apnea (CSA):
Central sleep apnea (CSA) is not as common as OSA. It happens because the brain doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that help us breathe, unlike in OSA, where the throat gets blocked. In CSA, the brain stops sending these signals for a short time, so the person stops breathing briefly. People with CSA might not snore loudly like those with OSA, and it’s often linked to other health problems like heart issues or brainstem disorders.
Complex sleep apnea syndrome (Treatment-Emergent central sleep apnea):
Complex sleep syndrome, also called treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, is when someone with OSA (a type of sleep apnea with throat blockage) starts having another type called CSA (where the brain doesn’t send proper signals to breathe) while using a CPAP machine to help them sleep. Scientists are still determining why this happens. To treat it, doctors might change the CPAP settings or use special devices, all with the help of sleep experts.
What are the stages of sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep problem that doctors measure based on how often someone stops breathing. They count these stops and partial blockages of the airway per hour to figure out how severe it is. They use these numbers to say if it’s a mild or severe case.
- Mild sleep apnea
- Moderate sleep apnea
- Severe sleep apnea
Mild sleep apnea:
Mild sleep apnea means a person stops breathing or has partial airway blockages a few times each hour while sleeping. It might not disturb their sleep, but it can still make them tired during the day and affect how well they think. Even if it’s mild, it can lower their quality of life. To help, doctors suggest changes in their lifestyle, special ways of sleeping or using devices in their mouth to keep the airway open at night.
Moderate sleep apnea:
Moderate sleep apnea means a person stops breathing or has partial airway blockages more often each hour while sleeping than mild sleep apnea. This can disturb their sleep a lot and cause problems during the day. To help with this, doctors suggest using a special machine called CPAP, which blows air to keep the airway open, or BIPAP, which gives different air pressure for breathing in and out. These machines help them breathe better at night.
Severe sleep apnea:
Severe sleep apnea means a person stops breathing or has partial blockages of the airway a lot of times every hour while sleeping. This can really mess up their sleep and health. It might cause heart and thinking problems. To help, doctors suggest using special machines (CPAP or BIPAP) that blow more air to keep the airway open. Sometimes, they might even do surgery to fix throat problems and help them breathe better.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
People with sleep apnea can have different symptoms, and some might not even know they have it. It’s important to notice these signs because if sleep apnea isn’t treated, it can cause big health problems. Common symptoms of sleep apnea are:
- Loud snoring
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Morning headaches
- Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking
- Irritability and mood changes
Loud snoring:
If someone snores really loudly, and it happens a lot, it could be a sign of sleep apnea, especially obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Snoring in OSA is loud because the airway is partly blocked, causing vibrations in the throat. But not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. If someone snores a lot and has other problems, they should see a doctor.
Excessive daytime sleepiness:
People with sleep apnea frequently feel extremely drained during the day, regardless of whether they dozed throughout the evening. This happens because they awaken slightly when they stop breathing, so they can’t rest soundly. This steady sluggishness makes it difficult for them to center, recollect things, and do well in their everyday schedule.
Gasping or choking during sleep:
People with sleep apnea now and again awaken abruptly, making stifling or wheezing sounds since they experience difficulty relaxing. This happens when their mind acknowledges they’re not getting sufficient oxygen, so it awakens them momentarily to assist them with breathing ordinarily once more. These wake-ups are fast, so they probably will only partially recollect them. However, they prevent them from having a decent night’s rest.
Morning headaches:
Awakening a great deal due to breathing issues can give you cerebral pain in the first part of the day. When your oxygen levels drop, and your heart needs to work harder, it can cause this migraine. These migraines could feel dull and improve as the day goes on.
Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking:
Sleep apnea can cause individuals to inhale through their mouth while they rest, causing them to feel dry and sore throat when they awaken. Breathing along these lines and not getting sufficient air can hurt their teeth and gums, creating issues like pits and gum sickness.
Irritability and mood changes:
Not getting sufficient rest due to rest apnea can cause individuals to feel cranky and find it hard to manage pressure. It can likewise make them tired and effortlessly irritated constantly. This can influence how they coexist with others and how cheerful they feel.
What are the main causes of sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea happens when something goes wrong with the way we breathe during sleep. Figuring out what’s causing doctors need to know how to help. The main causes of sleep apnea can be categorized as follows:
- Obesity and excess weight
- Anatomical factors
- Genetics and family history
- Alcohol and sedative use
- Smoking
- Aging
Obesity and excess weight:
One big reason for sleep apnea is being overweight, particularly assuming that somebody has an additional weight around their neck and throat. This additional weight can make the aviation route more modest, and when throat muscles unwind during rest, it can hinder the aviation route and cause rest apnea. However, assuming that somebody sheds pounds by practicing good eating habits and working out it can help improve or try and stop rest apnea at times.
Anatomical factors:
Some people might have body features that make them more likely to have sleep apnea, like a bent nose inside, big tonsils or adenoids, a large tongue, or a small jaw. These things can make the airway smaller, making it hard to breathe while sleeping. If someone has these issues, a specialist called an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor can check them and suggest the right treatment.
Genetics and family history:
Sometimes, sleep apnea can run in families. Assuming somebody’s relatives had rest apnea, they may be bound to get it, as well. This happens because specific things in their qualities (the things they acquire from their folks) can make their throat muscles work contrastingly or influence the size of their aviation route, making it more straightforward to shut everything down the rest.
Alcohol and sedative use:
Drinking liquor or taking specific medications that make you passive can loosen up the throat muscles excessively, making it more straightforward for the aviation route to get obstructed during rest. To avoid this, it’s best not to have liquor or those meds, particularly before sleep time. This can get rest apnea going occasionally and not be as terrible.
Smoking:
Smoking is really bad for the throat and can make it swollen and narrow, which can cause sleep apnea. People who smoke have a bigger chance of getting sleep apnea. But if they stop smoking, it can help their breathing and make sleep apnea problems less likely.
Aging:
When people get older, the muscles in their throat become weaker, which can make it easier for the airway to close up during sleep. Also, changes in how the brain works as people age can affect the signals that tell the breathing muscles what to do. This makes older people more likely to have sleep apnea problems.
Can sleep apnea cause memory loss?
Can sleep apnea cause memory loss? Sleep apnea can really mess up memory and thinking, especially if it’s not treated. Not getting good sleep and waking up a lot can make it hard to remember things, both stuff from recently and things from a long time ago. Here are the specific ways in which sleep apnea cause memory loss:
- Disrupted sleep patterns
- Oxygen desaturation and brain function
- Daytime sleepiness and attention
- Impact on cognitive abilities
Disrupted sleep patterns:
Sleep apnea stops people from having good sleep because they wake up a lot during the night. This keeps them from reaching the deep sleep stage called REM, which helps with remembering things. REM sleep is when the brain organizes and stores information, turning short-term memories into long-lasting ones. Because sleep apnea interrupts this important process, it can make it hard for people to remember new things and create strong memories.
Oxygen desaturation and brain function:
When someone with sleep apnea stops breathing, the oxygen levels in their blood go down. This affects how their brain works, especially the part responsible for memory. If this happens often or for a long time, it can make it hard for them to remember recent stuff and things from a while ago.
Daytime sleepiness and attention:
People with sleep apnea often feel very tired during the day, and this makes it hard for them to pay attention and concentrate. When they’re sleepy, it’s tough to focus on things and remember new stuff. It can affect their short-term memory (for things they need to do right away) and long-term memory (for things they want to remember for a long time).
Impact on cognitive abilities:
Not getting treatment for sleep apnea cause memory loss. People with sleep apnea have a higher chance of having memory problems and, in serious cases, even dementia (a serious memory loss condition). Even though scientists aren’t sure exactly how this happens, not getting enough good sleep and low oxygen levels during sleep because of sleep apnea can make it harder for the brain to work well, including memory.
Can memory loss from sleep apnea be reversed?
If someone has memory problems because of sleep apnea, they can get better with the right diagnosis and treatment. How much they improve depends on how bad the sleep apnea is and how long it has been going on. But some things can help them get their memory back on track.
- Treatment of sleep apnea
- Lifestyle changes
- Cognitive rehabilitation and brain exercises
- Addressing associated factors
- Regular follow-ups and monitoring
Treatment of sleep apnea:
If someone has memory problems because of sleep apnea, the first thing to do is treat the sleep apnea. One effective way to do this is by using a machine called CPAP. It blows a steady stream of air to keep the airway open during sleep, ensuring the person breathes properly and gets enough oxygen. When people use CPAP regularly and the right way, their sleep gets better, especially the important REM sleep that helps with memory.
Lifestyle changes:
To help with sleep apnea and memory, it’s good to make some lifestyle changes. Losing extra weight, especially around the neck, can make breathing easier during sleep. Regular exercise and eating healthy foods can improve sleep and memory. Also, it’s best not to have alcohol or certain medicines that make you sleepy, especially before bedtime. These changes can keep throat muscles from relaxing too much, reducing the chances of having sleep apnea problems.
Cognitive rehabilitation and brain exercises:
If someone still has memory problems after treating sleep apnea, some special programs and games can help. These activities are like exercises for the brain and can make memory, attention, and thinking better. Doing puzzles, memory games, and challenges for the mind can make the brain work better and help with memory.
Addressing associated factors:
If sleep apnea causes other health problems like high blood pressure or stress, it’s important to deal with those, too. Taking care of these issues by managing blood pressure, finding ways to relax, calming activities or talking to someone, and keeping the heart healthy can help the brain work better and improve memory.
Regular follow-ups and monitoring:
It’s really important to have regular check-ups with doctors who specialize in sleep and brain health. They can see how things are going and change the treatment if needed. They can also check how the memory and thinking are doing and find out if any other problems might affect memory.
Is there any treatment for sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea can be taken care of in different ways, like changing how you live or using medicines. The treatment depends on how bad the sleep apnea is and what kind it is. Here are the common approaches to treating sleep apnea:
- Lifestyle modification
- Weight loss
- Sleep position
- Avoiding alcohol and sedatives
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy
- Bi-level positive airway pressure (BIPAP therapy
- Oral appliances (mandibular advancement devices)
- Surgery
- Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
- Genioglossus advancement (GA)
- Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA)
- Inspire therapy
- Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV)
- Positional therapy
Lifestyle modifications:
Here are some lifestyle modifications that you can implement in your life:
- Weight loss
- Sleep position
- Avoiding alcohol and sedatives
Weight loss:
If someone has sleep apnea, especially where the throat gets blocked, losing weight can help. It’s good to eat healthy and exercise to lose weight, especially around the neck area. This can make it easier to breathe during sleep and reduce the chances of having problems.
Sleep position:
For some people, sleeping on their back can make their sleep apnea worse. Sleeping on the side can be better because it stops the tongue and soft part at the back of the mouth from blocking the airway.
Avoiding alcohol and sedatives:
Drinking alcohol and taking sleepy medicines make throat muscles too relaxed, which can cause problems in breathing during sleep. It’s best not to have these things, especially before going to bed, to make sleep apnea better.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy:
CPAP therapy is a common and great way to treat sleep apnea. It means wearing a mask connected to a machine that blows air to keep the airway open during sleep. When adjusted properly, this helps stop breathing problems and makes sleep much better.
Bi-level positive airway pressure (BIPAP) therapy:
BiPAP therapy is another way to treat sleep apnea. It gives different air pressure when breathing in and out. Some people use it if they can’t use CPAP or need different pressures when they breathe.
Oral appliances (mandibular advancement devices):
Some people use special dental devices to treat sleep apnea. These devices move the lower jaw and tongue to keep the airway open during sleep. They work well for mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea, and dentists who know about sleep problems can give them to you.
Surgery:
Here are some surgical options that you can also try after discussing with your healthcare professional:
- Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
- Genioglossus advancement (GA)
- Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA)
- Inspire therapy
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP):
UPPP is a surgery that helps with sleep apnea. In this surgery, doctors take out extra tissue from the throat to make the airway bigger. This can make it easier to breathe during sleep.
Genioglossus advancements (GA):
Genioglossus Advancement (GA) is a surgery that helps with sleep apnea. During this surgery, doctors move the tongue muscle to stop the airway from closing.
Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA):
Maxillomandibular Advancement (MMA) is a surgery that helps with sleep apnea. In this surgery, doctors move the upper and lower jaw to make the airway bigger so it’s easier to breathe during sleep.
Inspire therapy:
Inspire Therapy is a special device that doctors put inside your body to help with sleep apnea. It works by sending signals to a nerve in your throat to stop the airway from closing while you sleep. This treatment is used for some people with moderate to severe sleep apnea.
Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV):
ASV devices are machines that change the air pressure you breathe in based on your breathing. They make sure you get enough air when you sleep. These machines are used for people with central and complex sleep apnea syndrome.
Positional therapy:
Some people have more trouble with sleep apnea when they sleep on their back. Positional therapy helps by using special pillows or devices to make them sleep on their side instead. Sleeping on the side can prevent the airway from getting blocked, making it easier to breathe.
Conclusion:
Sleep apnea is a common problem where people stop breathing during sleep. If not treated, sleep apnea cause memory loss and it can make you very tired during the day, affect how you think, and lead to health issues. If you or someone you know snores loudly, struggles to breathe, or feels tired during the day, it’s important to see a doctor.
It’s important to notice if someone has sleep apnea and get help from doctors. They can find the right treatment to make sleep apnea better. With the right care, sleep apnea can be managed well, leading to better sleep, good health, and a happier life.
