Does sleep-disordered breathing cause cognitive impairment?

A recent article in the journal Neurology, from 1/31/17 studied sleep in individuals over 65, with and without cognitive impairment (memory loss).   It was found that individuals with cognitive impairment had worse sleep quality.  In addition, individuals with cognitive impairment had a  higher risk of having sleep apnea and more frequent drops in oxygen levels during sleep.

This study is not conclusive and does not prove that breathing issues in sleep cause dementia or memory loss.  However, it is a piece of evidence that suggests there can be a link.  The concern is that chronically low oxygen levels in sleep (and other effects of obstructive sleep apnea) could affect the brain long term, contributing to a risk of sleep apnea.

Jet Lag (a Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder) found to affect baseball players

The Washington Post has an interesting article recently posted.  They report on a study published at Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences titled  “How jet lag impairs Major League Baseball performance“.   In their analysis of 20 years of baseball games, the authors of the study found that, due when suffering from acute jet lag

players performed worse on average, most notably base-runners and pitchers.

….

Teams suffering from jet lag gave up more runs, an average of an extra .197 runs at home and .162 away per game.

Pitchers, in particular, suffered from eastward travel. They tended to give up an additional .107 (at home) or .073 (away) home runs during each game.

The take home point is that a sleep disorder can affect many aspects of life, including some we do not ordinarily consider.  Obtaining a proper amount of sleep is important and without many things can suffer, including your favorite baseball team.  At Center for Sleep Medicine, we can help you overcome a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, such as shift work sleep disorder or delayed sleep phase syndrome (where one is a “night owl” and therefore can’t obtain enough sleep before work)