Are you wondering if sleep apnea has any connection to our emotions, mood and mental health?
The connection sleep apnea has with our emotions and mental health are not widely talked about. Juanita Crawford, a sleep health professional, and David Bishop, a patient talk about undiagnosed sleep apnea and how a number of hormones and neurotransmitters altered during the process of apneas (full closures) and hypopneas (partial closures).
Join them as they discuss the primary stress hormone, cortisol and its role in engaging the body's fight or flight system. They also raise the issue of the contribution sleep apnea has on anxiety and depression. The United States Center for Disease Control has linked insufficient sleep to several chronic diseases including depression. A study in the journal, Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience posits that sleep apnea could possibly be a contributing factor which causes or worsens depression.
They also bring up a relevant study concerning the brain's natural break pedal, GABA or Gamma aminobutyric acid. GABA is the chief inhibiting or the calming calming neurotransmitter in the brain. It balances out the GLUTAMATE in the brain which is our natural accelerator. High levels of GLUTAMATE in the brain have been found to be toxic to neurons. A study by UCLA School of Nursing of people with moderate sleep apnea, found very low levels of GABA (the break of the brain) and high levels of GLUTAMATE (the accelerator). The contributions to agitation and aggression is discussed.
This episode looks at sleep apnea from an emotional perspective. The fourth episode will look at sleep apnea from a wider perspective as Juanita and David discuss common and uncommon signs and symptoms.