Neurologist warns common sleep habit can 'harm' the brain and raise dementia risk

A neurologist has issued a warning about a common sleep habit, claiming it could “harm” the brain. He explained that it could even increase your risk of dementia.

In a video shared to social media platform TikTok, a medical expert known as Dr Baibing Cheng, warned his viewers about excessive snoring. Although this habit is not something we can typically control, it might be worth speaking to a GP if you think it could be caused by sleep apnoea.

Dr Cheng, who is better known online as Dr Bing, explained that heavy snoring could damage certain blood vessels, increasing your risk of strokes as well as dementia. He said: “When you snore, especially if it's loud or happens most nights, it can mean your breathing is actually stopping and starting during sleep.

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“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 a higher risk of dementia down the road.”

He continued: “Snoring literally messes with your brain structure. MRI studies have shown that frequent snorers can actually lose grey matter in areas [of the brain] 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. And, guess what, that's been tied to slower thinking and difficulty concentrating during the day.”

On top of this, he warned that snoring can interrupt your sleep which, if if it carries on for a long time, can have lasting repercussions. “Even if you don't have full blown sleep apnoea snoring itself can mess up your deep sleep, especially the N3 stage, the one that makes you feel refreshed.

“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 clean up. So, snoring isn't just annoying your partner it's literally messing with your brain's wiring.”

What does research say?

His advice is supported by some scientific studies. One study, published in Sleep journal in 2021, found that the brains of people with sleep apnoea had high levels of beta-amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

Study author Professor Stephen Robinson, from RMIT University in Australia, said: “We know that if you have sleep apnoea in mid-life, you’re more likely to develop Alzheimer’s when you’re older. And if you have Alzheimer’s, you are more likely to have sleep apnoea than other people your age.”

He added: “Our study is the first to find Alzheimer’s-like amyloid plaques in the brains of people with clinically-verified obstructive sleep apnoea.”

Sleep apnoea

According to the NHS, symptoms of sleep apnoea mainly happen while you sleep. They include:

• Breathing stopping and starting
• Making gasping, snorting or choking noises
• Waking up a lot
• Loud snoring

During the day, you may also:

• Feel very tired
• Find it hard to concentrate
• Have mood swings
• Have a headache when you wake up

The NHS says you should see a GP if you have any of the main symptoms of sleep apnoea. It adds: If someone else has seen you have the symptoms, it can help to bring them with you to the GP.

“Sleep apnoea can be serious if it's not diagnosed and treated.”