When you have sleep apnea, you may believe that it only affects your breathing while you attempt to sleep. Unfortunately, however, the side-effects of leaving this condition untreated can be extremely dangerous and have a variety of negative consequences for your health. In fact, it can even cause memory loss and brain damage if not addressed. Here’s how this disorder can harm your brain, and what you can do about it.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder which occurs when the body struggles to take in air while you sleep. There are three main types: obstructive sleep apnea, where the airway is restricted, central sleep apnea, which occurs when the brain does not receive the proper signals to breathe during sleep, and complex sleep apnea, which is a combination of both OSA and central sleep apneas.
With each of these conditions, the body’s pursuit of oxygen can cause things like gasping and choking for air, snoring, and frequent waking. It may also worsen or contribute to other systemic illnesses such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, cognitive impairment, memory loss, and brain damage.
Sleep Apnea and Memory Loss
Memory loss is common with sleep apnea. Experts believe this is because people with sleep apnea have difficulty converting short-term memories into long-term memories. That’s because when you sleep, your brain consolidates memories so they can be accessed later. Unfortunately, however, when your sleep is interrupted repeatedly by a disorder like OSA or CSA, it has difficulty incorporating or categorizing memories, leading to forgetfulness and impaired memory formation.
Sleep Apnea and Brain Damage
Because the body stops breathing during apnea episodes, they are essentially starving your brain of oxygen. This deprivation, in conjunction with the chronic fatigue characteristic of sleep apnea has been shown to cause brain damage in the form of a decrease in both gray and white matter. These reductions can be responsible for a variety of mental health issues, including poor memory, decreased cognitive function, emotional problems, and even cardiovascular issues.
Treating Sleep Apnea
The good news is that these same studies found that with sleep apnea treatment, most of the patients’ brain matter was restored within a year, with gray matter rebounding in just a few short months. Unfortunately, many patients aren’t willing to stick with traditional CPAP therapy for long enough to enjoy these benefits, as they find it uncomfortable or difficult to use.
Thankfully, your dentist has a solution that can solve both problems: a custom sleep appliance that fits comfortably into the mouth, propping the airway open naturally so you can get the rest you deserve without the need for awkward masks and machinery. In fact, most patients find these devices much more comfortable and are thereby more compliant with therapy, allowing them to get a better night’s sleep and maybe even restore brain function, too!
Remember, if left untreated, sleep apnea can cause a variety of physical and mental health problems, including memory loss and brain damage. Don’t let these dangerous side effects make a bad situation worse. Speak to your sleep dentist today about treatment with a comfortable customs sleep appliance and get the rest you deserve while maintaining healthy brain function.
About Dr. Radz
An accomplished cosmetic dentist in his own right, Dr. Gary Radz became interested in sleep dentistry when he was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea about ten years ago. After discovering he wasn’t a huge fan of CPAP, he learned that his fellow dentists were finding great success treating patients with oral appliances and sought treatment for himself. Today, over eight years later, he has worn one of these devices himself and has proudly been providing this life-saving care for his own patients. To learn more about oral appliance therapy and see if it can help you get the rest you deserve, schedule a consultation with Downtown Denver Sleep Solutions by visiting our website or calling 303-377-5337.