According to new research, low oxygen during REM sleep damages memory centers in the brain through injury to small blood vessels. This finding explains why many sleep apnea patients develop cognitive problems as they age. Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that increases with age. Low oxygen levels during sleep can harm the ability of our brain and body to function properly low oxygen levels from obstructive sleep apnea, especially during REM sleep, may be linked to cognitive decline due to damage to the small blood vessels in the brain and the downstream impact of this damage on parts of the brain associated with memory. Sleep apnea happens when throat muscles relax during sleep, blocking the airway and forcing a person to partially wake to breathe again. These breathing pauses can happen dozens or even hundreds of times per night, often without the person knowing. Using brain scans, researchers found something striking: the lower the oxygen levels dropped during REM sleep, the more damage appeared in the brain’s white matter. This damage shows up as bright spots called white matter hyperintensities, which are thought to reflect damage to the brain’s small blood vessels. For aging adults concerned about memory, addressing sleep quality could be just as important as diet, exercise, and mental stimulation. This growing body of evidence suggests that protecting the brain requires attention not just to what we do while awake, but ensuring our brains receive enough oxygen during those crucial hours of sleep when memories are being strengthened and stored. Could better breathing during sleep help prevent memory problems? While more research is needed, these findings suggest it’s a question worth asking your doctor about – especially if you have risk factors for sleep apnea like being overweight, having a thick neck, or being told you snore loudly.
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Tuesday, May 20, 2025