Possible Complications of Sleep Apnea Weatherford
Your Overall Health Is at Risk!
Snoring may be more than just a loud, disturbing noise. Accompanied by fitful starts, gasping for breath and repeated nighttime awakenings, snoring may really be a serious health condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). At first, it might seem like little more than an annoyance. However, the problem goes much deeper than that. Left untreated, OSA has the potential to be devastating to your overall health and quality of life. Continue reading below to learn more about how that can happen.
How Sleep Apnea Affects Overall Health
OSA occurs when the soft tissues at the back of the throat over-relax and collapse during nighttime sleep or even during daytime naps. This obstructs airflow and leads to episodes of paused breathing or reduced breathing.
Poor airflow causes brain oxygen levels to drop drastically, signaling your brain to wake you up. Research indicates that people with OSA may experience micro-arousals 30 to hundreds of times per night, and they are often unaware of what is happening.
The National Sleep Foundation, an organization of experts in sleep science, says that when lack of sleep and oxygen deprivation combine in sleep apnea, systemic health complications abound.
Health Risks Associated with Sleep Apnea
A lack of high-quality sleep is a major threat to your health. In fact, untreated OSA can affect your heart, your brain, your metabolic system, your hormones, and more. It is associated with an increased risk of numerous serious conditions, including:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Attention deficits
- Memory issues, including both short-term struggles and dementia
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Mood swings
- Sexual dysfunction
- Acid reflux
- Complications during surgeries
- And more
The Dangers of Drowsy Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that drowsy driving is a factor in around 91,000 – 100,000 vehicle crashes each year, resulting in around 50,000 injuries and 700 – 800 deaths. Of course, some of those incidents are not directly related to sleep apnea, but many of them are!
Even if you spend 8 hours in bed, OSA prevents you from getting quality sleep. This leads to daytime fatigue and a reduced ability to react quickly in dangerous situations. That is one reason why professional drivers are periodically evaluated for sleep apnea and required to undergo treatment if they are diagnosed with it.
Better Sleep, Better Health
There is no doubt that sleep apnea is a serious health threat! Do not ignore symptoms like tiredness, snoring, and episodes where you wake up gasping for air. Instead, seek professional care right away. Fortunately, many of the risks associated with sleep apnea can be reduced or eliminated with proper treatment.
At Weatherford Dental Sleep Medicine, we can help you with every aspect of sleep apnea therapy, starting with diagnosis. Once you know about your condition, you can explore treatment options. We offer custom oral appliance therapy as well as combined therapy, which utilizes a CPAP machine and a custom appliance.
With consistent use of your prescribed treatment, it may not be long before you notice a positive difference in your health and quality of life! Contact us today to get started on your journey toward improved wellness.