Sleep apnea is a dangerous health condition that causes sufferers to stop breathing intermittently while they’re asleep. While the matter of not breathing while you’re not conscious enough to do anything about it is scary enough on its own, but the regular lack of oxygen can result in psychological effects that many people don’t consider. The daytime psychological effects of sleep apnea can range from motor skill and learning impairment to serious consequences for a person’s mental health.
Daytime Effects of Sleep Apnea
Some of the most well-known side effects of sleep apnea include difficulty concentrating on tasks, forgetfulness, poor judgment, a greater risk for high-stress levels, and depression.
Sleep Apnea and Mental Health
The psychological effects of sleep apnea are seemingly endless due to the routine moments of oxygen deprivation. Not only is this sleep disorder dangerous while you’re asleep but also while you’re awake. Some of the side effects on mental health as a result of sleep apnea include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Suicidal ideation
- Serious psychological distress
In terms of depression, one study from Kauffman, Ph.D., MHS, Susukida, Ph.D., and Depp, Ph.D. published in the National Institutes of Health, found that “compared to those without sleep apnea, those reporting past year sleep apnea had 3.11 times increased odds of having depression.” Statistics for anxiety, suicidal ideation, and serious psychological distress were found to be 3.68, 2.75, and 2.88 times more prevalent in sleep apnea sufferers, respectively.
Impact on Motor Skills and Learning
Sleep apnea can also affect one’s ability to retain information, especially overnight. One study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine assigned participants to complete a sequential finger-tapping task (SFTT), a motor skill learning task, both before and after polysomnographic recorded sleep.
Sleep apnea sufferers, who performed similarly to the control group before sleep, fared far worse than the control group after sleep. Participants were also slower in completing the SFTT after sleep, suggesting that sleep apnea can have a negative effect on motor skills learning.
Concerned About the Potential Psychological Effects of Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is dangerous for many reasons. It’s associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome for example. It can also contribute to psychological issues such as depression. For more information and treatment options for sleep apnea, contact Dr. Marzban DDS at703-323-8200 or complete our contact form.
