Earlier Memory Loss Found in Those Who Snore, Have Sleep Apnea

A new study suggests that heavy snoring and sleep apnea can lead to memory loss by as much as 10 years earlier in life.

The good news is that treating your sleep breathing problem can delay that decline in memory and thinking, according to the study, published April 15 in the online issue ofNeurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

“There are things we can do to keep our memory vibrant as we get older,” said Dr. Gayatri Devi, a neurologist who specializes in memory disorders at Lenox Hill Hospital. “One of the simplest things we can do is to make sure we are getting enough oxygen when we sleep.”

Among the 2,470 people ages 55 to 90 who participated in the study, the age of diagnosis was 82 in those who treated their sleep breathing problems with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, compared to 72 for those who did not.

Devi said simple lifestyle changes can improve your breathing while sleeping, including exercise, healthy eating, improving your sleep hygiene and going to sleep at a better time.

“When you sleep well your brain is oxygenated better and that helps to protect the brain from memory problems,” she said.

Sleep breathing problems affect about 52 percent of elderly men and 26 percent of elderly women, according to the study author.

Study participants with sleep breathing problems developed mild cognitive impairment at age 77 on average, compared to age 90 on average for those who did not have sleep breathing problems. Of those who developed Alzheimer’s disease the average age was 83 compared to 88.

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