Bottom line: Trouble with brain functions among people with sleep apnea were thought to be caused by other health issues such as obesity, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
Source: Frontiers in Sleep: “Distinct cognitive changes in male patients with obstructive sleep apnoea without co-morbidities.”
What’s new: A new study compared cognitive functions among men with sleep apnea with those of men who didn’t have the sleep disorder. Researchers found that those with sleep apnea were less able to concentrate, had a poorer memory, and had poorer social judgment.
Men with sleep apnea showed significant reductions in the following cognitive functions:
- Sustained attention
- Executive functions like behavior regulation and decision-making
- Visual memory
- Impulse control
Written by: Lisa O’Mary