A Deseret News report examines the impact of obstructive sleep apnea on the brain.

Chronic snorers might need to put aside their Breathe Right strips and schedule a doctor’s appointment. Several recent articles and a new research study have highlighted health risks associated with snoring that often go unacknowledged.

“The big concern: obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which blocked airways cause people to stop breathing many times a night, disrupting sleep and cutting off oxygen to the body and brain,” USA Today reported. “Untreated apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity and diabetes — and the sleepiness it causes can contribute to accidents at work and on the road.”

Sleep apnea was also linked recently with dementia, because disrupted breathing has a negative impact on the brain, Time reported.

The study, published in the journal Neurology (paywall), found that people experiencing “sleep-disordered breathing” experienced cognitive decline earlier than people who sleep without making a peep.

Get the full story at www.national.deseretnews.com