Sleep apnea, which causes sufferers to spend less time in deep sleep, may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and cognitive decline in older adults, according to a new study published in Neurology.
About one-seventh of the world’s population suffer from the condition, according to a report in Respirology. That is about one billion people.
The leading causes of sleep apnea are obesity and advanced age. With obesity rising and people living longer – the disorder is also growing.
Signs of Sleep Apnea
“You may first start having sleep apnea—particularly obstructive sleep apnea—because you put on a little weight and you start to have maybe five or seven episodes of sleep apnea per hour, it may not bother you too much,” said Alejandro D. Chediak, MD, in the American Medical Association’s (AMA) April installment of “What Doctors Wish Patients Knew” series. “As years go by, you’re a little heavier, you have more bad behaviors, you’re a little older and sleep is more fragmented so now you feel tired.”
Other symptoms of sleep apnea, according to the Mayo Clinic include:
- Loud snoring.
- Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep — which would be reported by another person.
- Gasping for air during sleep.
- Awakening with a dry mouth.
- Morning headache.
- Difficulty staying asleep, known as insomnia.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness, known as hypersomnia.
- Difficulty paying attention while awake.
- Irritability.
One of the problems in dealing with the condition is that most sufferers do not know they have it.
Under Diagnosed Disorder
In the United States alone, 30 million people have sleep apnea, according to the (AMA). However, only six million have been diagnosed.
One of the reasons most people do not realize they have the disorder is that it happens while they sleep.
Sleep apnea occurs when your airway narrows or closes off completely. As a result, your oxygen flow to the brain drops rousing you to consciousness. Consequently, your quality of sleep suffers.
Vicious Cycle
Obesity can lead to a variety of health issues. In the case of sleep apnea, it can be part of a vicious cycle with obesity hampering sleep. As a result, a lack of rest can lead to more eating.
“They get more airway collapse. They’re having poor sleep. Their insulin resistance goes up and that causes them to eat more of the wrong foods and gain more weight,” Ilene Rosen, MD,MSCE, said in the AMA series.
Financial Toll
A 2015 study commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that sleep apnea cost the U. S. economy $149.6 billion that year. Consequently, lost worker productivity accounted for $86.9 billion of that figure. Another $6,5 billion was lost due to workplace accidents and $26.2 billion from automobile accidents. In addition, $30 billion was spent on medical treatment of related diseases.
Sleep Apnea Treatments
The primary treatments for the disorder are continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and mandibular advancement device.
CPAP involves running air through the nose and back of the throat to prevent your airway from collapsing. The mandibular advancement device is custom designed by a dentist to bring the lower jaw forward. As a result, throat muscles are strengthened to prevent collapse.
“It works really well for snoring and in many cases of mild to moderate sleep apnea,” said Dr. Rosen.
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Max K. Erkiletian began writing for newspapers while still in high school. He went on to become an award-winning journalist and co-founder of the print magazine Free Bird. He has written for a wide range of regional and national publications as well as many on-line publications. That has afforded him the opportunity to interview a variety of prominent figures from former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank Paul Volker to Blues musicians Muddy Waters and B. B. King. Max lives in Springfield, MO with his wife Karen and their cat – Pudge. He spends as much time as possible with his kids, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
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