A new study on sleep apnea, a nighttime breathing disorder often marked by snoring, underscores how sleep troubles may be linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that the brains of people with sleep apnea had high levels of beta-amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
In sleep apnea, people stop breathing for brief periods throughout the night, sometimes hundreds of times, causing them to wake up feeling unrefreshed and tired throughout the day. The condition affects almost one in 10 women, and one in four men, most of them middle-aged and older. Many people don’t even know they have the condition.
Snoring, gasping or grunting for air during sleep, or waking up tired no matter how long you sleep, can all be signs of sleep apnea. Other clues include feeling sleepy throughout the day, falling asleep within 10 minutes…
