Is your partner snoring like the walls are shaking and every night feels like an assault on a battlefield? Experts warn that the sleep of those who snore is far from restful, its quality suffers greatly. Some researchers warn that snoring can lead to early cognitive decline.

The relationship between snoring and dementia

It turns out that about half of people who snore regularly actually have obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the muscles at the back of the throat can’t keep the airway open, resulting in brief but repeated pauses in breathing.

Researchers have studied how strong the relationship is between sleep apnea and cognitive function. They analyzed the brains of 27 healthy middle-aged men with untreated sleep apnea. The results? Participants with severe sleep apnea had reduced alertness and poorer short-term visual recognition and social and emotional recognition memory than controls. Even participants with mild sleep apnea showed cognitive deficits compared to controls, although they performed better than those with more severe sleep apnea. Scientists have concluded that low blood oxygen and high carbon dioxide levels, changes in blood flow to the brain, and neuroinflammation are the causes of these brain health problems. Not very good news for long-term cognitive health.

Another study by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas, which looked at the relationship between breathing rate during sleep and cognitive function, and how anti-snoring interventions affect brain health, found that breathing rhythms during sleep sleep can be used to distinguish cognitively normal people from those with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease. They also concluded that wearing a dental device to reduce snoring improves cognitive function in people with mild cognitive impairment.

Skeptics may not have enough confidence in the results of studies that do not appear to be large, in the sense that an impressive number of subjects were not studied. A study by Ricardo Osorio, assistant professor of psychiatry at the NYU Center for Brain Health, can’t be blamed for that. Osorio and his colleagues studied 2,000 people who participated in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. The subjects were people between the ages of 55 and 75, some of whom were cognitively normal and some with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s dementia. All were asked about snoring or sleep apnea, then monitored every six months for two to three years for possible changes in their cognitive status. Those who reported sleep apnea or snoring tended to develop signs of mild cognitive impairment, including memory lapses and slowing of cognitive skills, on average about 12 years earlier than those who did not report. It was reported that there were no breathing disorders during sleep.

What can you do to stop snoring?

To get rid of snoring, first of all, it is necessary to treat sleep apnea. And to treat sleep apnea, you’ll need to make lifestyle changes or invest in oral appliances or surgery to keep your airway open while you sleep. In terms of lifestyle, there are a few things that can help you get rid of snoring:

Sleep on your side

If you have the habit of sleeping on your back, you need to abandon this position and adopt the “side” position. Sleeping on your side opens up your nasal airways, while sleeping on your back can cause the airways to become blocked or narrowed, causing a vibrating sound when you breathe. When we talk about the position during sleep, the position on the back causes a decrease in the diameter of the airways and can lead to snoring or breathing pauses (apnea) in those who are conformationally prone to sleep apnea syndrome,” Prof. d told Smartliving.ro Florin Mihălțan, president of the somnology section of the Romanian Society of Pneumology, he also pointed out that sleeping without a pillow is unhealthy, it is correct to use a firmer pillow that allows you to relax the muscles that support the head during the night and helps to avoid bad positions during sleep .

Go to bed earlier

To prevent snoring from becoming a problem, it is important to get as much sleep as possible and have quality sleep. Try to relax an hour or two before bed, engage in non-stimulating activities, dim the lights in your home, and reduce your time before bed (TV, laptop, tablet, phone) to ensure a more restful night’s sleep.

Use a humidifier

Blocked sinuses? You are probably dealing with inflammation of the throat and nose, which can lead to difficult mouth breathing and snoring. And if the air in the room is dry, it only increases congestion. Experts recommend using a humidifier, its role is to moisten the throat and nasal passages.

Avoid drinking alcohol before bed

Alcohol’s effect on snoring and sleep depends on the dose, so if you tend to drink more, start by cutting back. If that doesn’t reduce your snoring, try stopping drinking a few hours before bed or consider giving up alcohol altogether. Not only does alcohol make snoring worse, but drinking alcohol before bed can trigger obstructive sleep apnea even in people who don’t have the condition.

Try mouth exercises

In addition to general exercise, consider oral exercises to stop snoring. These exercises are known as oropharyngeal exercises and have been found to be effective in reducing snoring. Oral exercises involve repeatedly moving the tongue and parts of the mouth in such a way as to strengthen the muscles of the tongue, soft palate and throat. One study found that three months of oral exercises resulted in a 59% reduction in snoring.

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