Snoring can raise your risk of developing the memory-robbing illness dementia, a leading neurologist has warned.
In a recent video, Dr. Baibing Chen, who posts as Dr. Bing on TikTok, told his 158,300 followers it ‘can harm your brain’.
He explained: ‘When you snore, especially if it is loud or happens most nights, it can mean your breathing is actually starting and stopping during sleep.
‘This cuts off oxygen to your brain over and over again leading to tiny injuries in your blood vessels.
‘These injuries are linked to silent strokes and even higher risk of dementia down the road.’
And he warned ‘snoring literally messes with your brain structure’ as MRI scans have shown they cause you to lose grey matter in areas that control memory and thinking.
‘The more you snore the more these brain regions can shrink, like the hippocampus—which is very important for your memory.’
It has also been linked to ‘slower thinking and difficulty concentrating during the day’, he added.
He warned that the common habit that annoys our partners can increase your risk of dementia
This can be a problem even for people who don’t have full blown sleep apnoea—a serious condition that sees people start and stop breathing at night, he said.
Dr Bing elaborated: ‘Snoring itself can mess up your deep sleep—especially the N3 stage—the stage that makes you feel fresh.
‘This happens because the vibrations from snoring can wake your brain up even if you don’t remember it.
‘And that means you get less restorative sleep, and your brain doesn’t get its overnight cleanup.
‘So snoring isn’t just annoying your partner, it’s literally messing with your brain’s wiring.’
Experts have previously warned snoring can also put you at risk of hypertension, heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
The comment section was filled with social media users asking the question he didn’t answer—how can you stop snoring?
One user wrote ‘you forgot the part where you tell us what to do about it’, while another commented ‘what can we do to overcome this?’
Simple lifestyle changes can help, and the NHS says people who smoke, are overweight and drink too much alcohol are more likely to snore.
They also say sleeping on your back can make you more likely to have the annoying habit.
But it can be caused by sleep apnoea which is estimated to affect 15 million Britons according to the British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association.
There are two distinct types of sleep apnoea, Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA) and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), he explains.
CSA is caused by the brain not sending proper signals to the muscles that control breathing during sleep whereas OSA is caused by the upper airways being obstructed, Mr Surda said.
More people are affected by obstructive sleep apnoea than central sleep apnoea.
Similarly to regular snoring, sleep apnoea occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat relax excessively, causing the airway to become partially or fully blocked.
Previously Dr Pavol Surda, a sleep-disordered breathing expert at London Bridge Hospital told the Daily Mail it is treatable.
He said: ‘If you suspect that you or a loved one may have sleep apnoea, seeking help from a specialist is crucial.
‘Specialists can conduct a thorough evaluation, often involving a sleep study to monitor breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and other vital signs during sleep.
‘Treatment options vary depending on the severity of the condition and may include lifestyle changes, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, oral appliances, or in some cases, surgery.’