How sleep apnea breaks your brain

Sleep apnea causes drops in your blood oxygen levels and sleep disruption.  Neither effect is good for your poor brain.  My own mother, when she was diagnosed with sleep apnea, was not too impressed at first.  Then, her doctor said:  “You’re losing brain cells because of this.”  That got her attention, and she’s been a faithful CPAP user ever since.  

For an average-sized person, the brain makes up 2% of the body weight.  But it consumes 20% of the oxygen you breathe, day and night– whether you are asleep or awake.  Brain activities depend on oxygen.  So when there are interruptions in your oxygen supply because you have untreated sleep apnea, your brain has to sound the alarm and come out of sleep so you can start breathing again.  

But that recurring sleep disruption (which you are not fully conscious of) is another whammy for your brain.  Important brain activities also depend on normal sleep cycling.  For example, clearing out waste that accumulates from the brain doing its high-powered functioning.  Think of it like the oil in your car- it needs to be flushed and replaced nightly because your brain goes the equivalent of 5000 miles a day!  If this detoxification procedure doesn’t occur like it should, you’re left with sludge in your circuits.  Your memory isn’t great.  You might feel like your thinking is slower or less flexible (brain fog).  You tend to be more emotional and your toddler brain is in charge.  

I’ve only just scratched the surface of how sleep apnea breaks your brain.  The effects are cumulative, and your risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s Disease go up the longer you are untreated.  But I want to end on a hopeful note:  fully treating your sleep apnea can REVERSE these negative effects.  Think about it.