San Francisco, Marin, and Oakland, CA
You probably know about the importance of eating right and exercising when it comes to your health, but getting the proper amount of sleep is just as crucial to a healthy life.
If you do not get enough sleep, it affects your ability to function at your best. Over time, a consistent lack of sleep can affect your health, your mood, and your performance at work or school.
What causes sleep loss?
Some individuals fail to get the sleep they need because they have a chaotic work schedule, such as overnight shifts, or a hectic and demanding lifestyle. Others may suffer from a sleep breathing disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea. This category of ailments refers to any disorder that affects your ability to maintain an open, fully functioning airway during sleep.
One of the most prevalent, and most serious, types of sleep breathing disorders is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This condition takes place when your airway becomes blocked as you sleep. These blockages often occur because of a collapse of soft tissue in the airway, causing a partial or complete obstruction of the airway. If the flow of air is cut off completely, your body responds with a fight-or-flight response, rousing from sleep as the body and brain react as if you are choking to death.
For a sleep apnea patient, each time the airway becomes blocked, it disrupts the sleep cycle and deprives you of the restoration to mind and body that occur naturally during the REM cycle of sleep. In cases of sleep apnea that are serious or advanced, these blockages can occur hundreds of times per night, so you can imagine the effect that has on those individuals’ ability to get proper rest.
What are the consequences of sleep loss?
Not getting enough sleep consistently over time has a negative effect to your health. Over time, your mood and your behavior change. You become irritable and short-tempered. This has a negative effect on your relationships with family and friends. If sleep apnea is causing your loss of sleep, it can have a profound negative effect on your partner. Loud snoring is one of the most prevalent symptoms of sleep apnea, and this snoring can keep your partner awake throughout the night as well.
Short-term consequences of sleep loss include the following:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Having poor judgment
- Irritability or short temper
- Weight gain
- Poor performance at work or school
- Difficulty or inability enjoying your favorite activities
- Increased risk of being in an accident while driving or while at work
Over time, if the cause of sleep loss is not resolved, there can be significant long-term consequences such as:
- Cognitive decline, including memory loss
- Chronic fatigue
- Depression
- Obesity
- Overall decline in your physical health
- Problems with intimacy with your partner, including loss of libido or impotence
Individuals with sleep apnea face additional risks.
If their condition goes undiagnosed or untreated, sleep apnea patients face a significantly higher risk factor for a variety of chronic, life-threatening ailments, such as the following:
- Heart disease
- Hypertension and/or stroke
- Diabetes
How can the dentist help?
Certain dental practices specialize in sleep apnea dentistry. These medical professionals are adept at a specialty of dental science that focuses on diagnosing and treating sleep breathing disorders by addressing the root of the problem—the airway issue that is causing the blockages and contributing to your loss of sleep.
A sleep apnea dentist makes their diagnosis by having the patient undergo a sleep study, or by conducting an airway evaluation to determine if any issue or blockage exists, as well as the severity.
How is sleep apnea treated?
Once a sleep breathing disorder is identified, the sleep apnea dentist can provide treatment. The preferred method to treat sleep apnea is oral appliance therapy. This entails the construction of a custom-made mouthpiece that is designed based off impressions of the mouth of the patient to maximize comfort and effectiveness. This mouthpiece, when worn, keeps your lower jaw in its ideal forward resting position. Once your mouth and jaw are aligned this way, your airway will remain open. The best part about treating OSA with an oral appliance is that it is comfortable, quiet, and convenient. No more CPAP!
How do I know if I should seek the care of a sleep apnea dentist?
If you frequently wake up feeling tired no matter what time you get to bed, then a sleep breathing disorder could be the culprit. Also, if you exhibit any combination of the behaviors above, these also can be warning signs of sleep apnea. However, loud snoring is the primary symptom of sleep apnea. If you or someone you love snores loudly and always seems tired, this combination of conditions could result from a case of sleep apnea.
If you do suffer from a case of sleep apnea, this problem will not go away on its own. You must have the disorder diagnosed and treated properly by a medical professional. Otherwise, the disorder and the symptoms connected to it will continue to get worse, perpetuating your loss of sleep and, ultimately, even jeopardizing your life.
You do not have to live with lost sleep any longer. A sleep apnea dentist could help you get the rest you deserve. Contact the office of Glen Park Dental at (415) 585-1500 to schedule a consultation.
Glen Park Dental is proud to provide total oral health care for patients in Marin, Oakland, and San Francisco, California.
