(GoHealthier.com)
When it comes to predicting dementia, we all wish we had a crystal ball.
You know, some tell-tale sign that would let you know your brain was in trouble.
Now, it’s here.
Because new research shows there’s a crystal-clear indicator for who may get dementia… and who won’t.
In fact, it could be one of the earliest signs that memory trouble is on your horizon.
And it all starts with a common condition.
If you or someone you love snores, you already know how disruptive it is.
The noisy breathing… the constant sleep interruptions… and the morning brain fog are miserable for you and your partner.
But as it turns out, this loud condition can damage your brain, too.
For the groundbreaking study published in the journal Frontiers in Sleep, researchers studied 27 healthy men aged 35 to 70 years suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) – a condition that causes loud snoring.
Next, they compared the OSA group to a control group without the condition.
And what they found was SHOCKING!
The OSA group suffered from poorer:
- Vigilance,
- Executive functioning
- Short-term visual recognition memory,
- And social and emotional recognition.
All of these symptoms are indicators of early-onset dementia.
The researchers believe that OSA can trigger dementia because it obstructs your breathing during sleep. This process cuts off the blood and oxygen supply to your brain, causing damage to your neurons.
If you or your partner snore, it’s time to talk to your doctor.
He can prescribe a sleep study to determine whether you have OSA or are just a run-of-the-mill snorer.
If you do have this life-changing condition, getting a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine is the best way to improve nighttime breathing and reverse OSA. It uses mild air pressure to keep your airways open during sleep.
Another way to stop OSA is by losing weight.
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