Sleep Apnea Pathfinders
Bringing awareness and information on sleep apnea so people can see the pathways to connect the dots with different signs and symptoms when it isn’t always clear. Sharing from his experiences from 15 years of being diagnosed with sleep apnea, David’s passion for research and talking to other patients comes through in this podcast. This podcast will cover a multitude of dimensions: discussing health conditions which show a high correlation; guests to share their experiences; and experts from various fields who will discuss the impact on sleep apnea and our overall health. Join us on Sleep Apnea Pathways weekly as we unpack these important dimensions in an effort to understand this sleep disorder more. We invite you to comment, give feedback and share in our collaborative effort. Our number one goal for the podcast is to spread the message that there is hope for those with sleep apnea and those that love and support them.
Sleep Apnea Pathfinders
Sleep Apnea and The Rollercoaster of Emotions
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.