Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI
Do you have trouble focusing? Are you often forgetting even simple things? These are symptoms of brain fog. In the past this condition has been associated with depression or stress. Cancer patients have experienced it as a side effect of treatment, and it’s even been linked as a consequence of COVID-19. You may not realize that, depending on the cause of brain fog, your dentist can help treat this problem. Find out how, today on the blog.
Brain fog can stem from obstructive sleep apnea
Foggy thinking and diminished cognitive function are both possible consequences of untreated sleep apnea. You may experience memory problems, have difficulty concentrating or are experiencing poor performance at work or school. If this sounds like something that you or a loved one is living with, then your mind is not functioning as it should—and poor sleep could be the real culprit.
How does sleep affect the brain?
Getting quality sleep is crucial to the overall performance of the body as well as the mind. When you sleep, your brain can perform certain functions that it can’t manage while you are awake. This includes the creation of new brain cells, and essentially cleaning itself using the glymphatic system—which eliminates excess proteins and metabolites from the central nervous system. One of the proteins eliminated by the glymphatic system is amyloid beta, which has been linked to degenerative neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Sleep is also crucial to the function of the prefrontal cortex. This area of the brain controls decision making and cognitive function, and during sleep it solidifies memories and retains any new information you learned that day.
Sleep apnea destroys the quality of your sleep
Good sleep is about quality more so than quantity. It’s better to get six hours of deep, restful sleep than seven or more hours of fitful sleep. Sleep apnea makes it basically impossible for someone to get the quality sleep they need and be at their best. For someone with obstructive sleep apnea, the airway becomes impeded or totally blocked during sleep. These blockages may occur hundreds of times each night. Every time this happens, your brain becomes aware you are not getting enough oxygen and goes into crisis mode—bringing you out of the sleep cycle and sending chemical signals that trigger a stress response in the body to resume normal breathing. Often, someone with sleep apnea never wakes up consciously, but the constant series of alerts throughout the night, every single night, ruins your ability to get quality sleep. This is because someone with sleep apnea does not spend enough time in the deepest stage of the sleep cycle, which is the most crucial from a recuperative standpoint.
Long-term, the effects of sleep deprivation can have a devastating impact on your mental health.
The potential brain-related issues linked to living with sleep loss include:
- Alzheimer’s
- Brain damage
- Learning disabilities
- PTSD
- Anxiety
Depression
Offering non-invasive treatment for sleep apnea
If sleep apnea is causing your brain fog, Dr. Nancy Hartrick and the team at Hartrick Dentistry are here to help. Although an official diagnosis of sleep apnea only can be made by a qualified sleep specialist, Dr. Cook can treat your sleep apnea through the use of customized oral appliances. This oral appliance is worn as a night guard, bringing the lower jaw forward and serving to maintain an open airway throughout the night – thus preventing the airway blockages that cause apneic events. Let Hartrick Dentistry help you get the deep, restful sleep you deserve. To schedule an appointment, please call (248) 549-0950.