The Surprising Link Between Sleep Apnea & Alzheimer's

The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine recently published a study from New York researchers that suggest that sleep apnea and Alzheimer’s are connected. Their study found that people with obstructive sleep apnea had higher levels of amyloid beta in their spinal fluid—a protein associated with Alzheimer’s.

Sleep apnea is a condition where patients either take shallow breaths or stop breathing while sleeping. It disrupts the sleep of up to 22 million people in the United States. The study focused on 208 otherwise-healthy sleep apnea patients, over half of which had obstructive sleep apnea. Those with OSA correlated with higher levels of amyloid beta.

The data suggests that sleep disturbance could “accelerate cognitive decline” for those who are at-risk for Alzheimer’s, according to a press release from researchers at the NYU School of Medicine. However, a co-author of the study clarified that the relationship hasn’t been discovered between sleep apnea, amyloid, and cognitive deterioration.

The data does suggest that the severity of sleep apnea is a predictor of cognitive deterioration.

What This Means for Doctors

If there is a relationship, then screening for sleep apnea may help doctors better predict a patient’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s. More importantly, it will motivate doctors to correct any sleep disturbance disorder in order to prevent Alzheimer’s later in life.

4 Ways to Avoid the Common Cold During Holiday Travel

Consider this your warning: these tips are not designed to make you look stylish or fun. In fact, you might think some of these tips are overkill. That’s normal.

But if you actually want to make it through an airport without breathing in the collective germs of millions of harried, exhausted, immuno-compromised travelers, then you’ll need to value your health over your appearance for just a few hours. We promise it will be worth it.

#1: Wear a Medical Face Mask

Remember those masks everyone wore when SARS was a threat? Those are actually famously effective at keeping your body from accidentally breathing in germs and viruses. After all, these are the masks surgeons use while working on patients.

They serve two purposes:

1. They keep you from breathing in everyone else’s germs.
2. They keep your germs to yourself—which is a favor to everyone else.

#2: Drink a Glass of Water Every 1.5 Hours

Drinking water in general is a great practice, but if you’re normally the type of person who hovers near “dehydrated,” drinking water is extra important while traveling. Constantly ingesting fluids and flushing them out of your body keeps your immune system humming at peak levels. If you’re peeing a lot, that’s a good sign—it means what’s staying in your body is supposed to stay in your body.

The classic 8 glasses a day is a little bit daunting for people who don’t normally drink a lot of water daily—instead, drink a glass of water every hour-and-a-half or so.

#3: Put 9 Hours of Sleep on the Calendar

Okay, we know this isn’t always completely under your control, but block out time for sleeping. Consider it an appointment that you need to keep with yourself—if you put it on your calendar, that’s sacred. No one else can touch it, and no other plans can take that space.

The reason we aim for 9 hours? Because we always know there’s last-minute travel tasks, aiming for 9 hours allows us to get at least 7.5 (which is good enough).

#4: Buy a Travel-Size Pack of Disinfecting Wipes

The surfaces at airports, bus stops, and train stations are as bad as bathrooms sometimes. Bring wipes for arm rests, tables, and any other surfaces you come into contact with. You might look a little OCD, but that’s okay. While everyone else is wondering what you’re doing, they’re caught in skin-to-skin contact with millions upon millions of viruses and bacteria.

Avoiding that is a good trade-off for looking a little eccentric.

Need medicine to keep yourself functional through the holidays? Set up an appointment with your Orlando ear nose throat doctor at Florida ENT today! Offices serving Orlando and Kissimmee.

Holiday Events in Florida No Family Should Miss

Four Blocks of Winter Performances + Free Fun & Games

Where: Pensacola (223 S. Palafox Place, Pensacola, FL 32502)

When: Until December 24, 2017

Link: Buy tickets here!

Beautiful performances, warm hot chocolate, and games for kids are only part of what make the Pensacola Winterfest a can’t-miss event. However, you’ll want to act fast—tickets for the Polar Express Tour are selling out fast (but you still have a chance)! Many of the attractions are free, but tickets are on sale now for the Performance Tour, the Winterfest Performance Tour, and other tours.

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Get a Zoo Tour with Santa for Jolly Days!

Where: Brevard Zoo (8225 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, FL 32940)

When: December 21-23, 2017

Link: Get info here!

The animals are getting in on the fun at Brevard Zoo this holiday season! Bring the family from 10 am to 3 pm for animal encounters, games, music, and photos with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus! Zookeepers will also be presenting animals with holiday gifts—something your child won’t want to miss.

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Explore the World’s Largest Christmas Theme Park

Where: Miami (7900 SW 40th Street, Miami, FL 33155)

When: Until January 7, 2018

Link: Get tickets here!

Come see the world’s largest holiday theme park! Santa’s Enchanted Forest has South Florida’s tallest Christmas tree, animal shows, and a free carnival with over 100 rides and attractions. The park is open until midnight on all major holidays (including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve).

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Watch a Christmas Movie & See a Massive Christmas Light Show

Where: University of Central Florida’s CFE Arena (12777 Gemini Blvd. N, Orlando, FL 32816)

When: Until January 7, 2018

Link: Learn more here!

For a musical light show unlike anything you’ve ever seen, come down to the University of Central Florida for the “Light Up UCF” celebration! The show features over 30,000 lights that pulse and strobe in sync with Christmas classics. Afterward, you and your family can curl up and watch your favorite Christmas movies on a two-story screen.

Parking is free! Get your tickets today.

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Walk Through an International Christmas Ice Sculpture Garden

Where: Lake Buena Vista (6000 West Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, FL 34746)

When: Until January 8, 2018

Link: Get tickets here!

Adventure through a sculpture garden with 2 million pounds of ice sculptures and a 2-story ice slide! Kept at a frosty  9 degrees, the ICE! At Gaylord Palms exhibit features hand-sculpted Christmas scenes from around the world. Don’t worry—a coat and gloves are provided.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Affects People of All Ages

When we say “hard-of-hearing,” you might conjure up an image of an elderly loved one, their hands cupped around their ears while you repeat yourself for the third time. For most people, hearing problems are either genetic (present from birth) or a problem for the elderly.

However, data from the CDC determined that the association between hearing loss and old age is not as strong as we think.

According to data from 2011-2012, between 6 and 24 percent of U.S. adults under 70 exhibited signs of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Up to 40 million U.S. adults barely old enough to retire have permanent damage in their ears. That’s not all—a separate study found that up to 17 percent of teenagers have hearing loss for the same reason.

Why People Are Losing Their Hearing

Noise-induced hearing loss is widespread but preventable. So why doesn’t anyone do anything about it? Because people don’t know they have NIHL until the effects are too far gone.

People unknowingly suffer from NIHL because it’s the result of gradual damage. See, hair cells in your inner ear transmit sound vibrations into electrical signals for your brain. Loud noises kill these hair cells. When loud noises cause hair cells to die, you don’t notice the loss of a few cells. However, over time, voices become more muffled; voicemails are harder to decipher; phone calls become less convenient.

So what noises do you avoid?

Any noises above 85 decibels could potentially cause hearing loss—this includes both impulse noises (one-time and immediate) and ongoing noises. The most common sufferers of NIHL include people who are exposed to loud noises on a daily basis (people in woodworking shops, construction workers, musicians, people who listen to their music too loud). For reference, the sound of a motorcycle engine up close is 95 decibels.

Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

It’s not too late to save your hearing! Here are a few simple steps to prevent further damage:

• Wear ear protection at work or at concerts.
• Turn down your music.
• If possible, situate yourself away from sources of noise.
• Protect your children’s ears while out and about.
• Get your hearing tested to find out how urgent your loss is.

Remember: most people with hearing loss wait until it’s too late before they change their behavior. Making a small change today could radically change your future.