Sleep Apnea’s Impact On Sleep Quality
Obstructive sleep apnea is a form of sleep apnea in which your body stops and restarts breathing anywhere between five and thirty or more times an hour due to an obstruction in your airway. Typically, the obstruction results from the tissues of your throat and mouth over-relaxing and restricting your airflow. As a defense mechanism, your brain will jolt you awake once the oxygen level drops to a certain point so that you can breathe again.
Patients with this condition may be completely unaware they have it. Because snoring is the most common symptom, it’s typically the patient’s bed partner who makes them aware. That’s why knowing and understanding the other symptoms of sleep apnea is incredibly important to seeking the treatment you need.
Sleep apnea is more than just something that makes you snore at night. This condition is especially serious because it impacts the quality of your sleep, deprives your body of much-needed oxygen, and can even have many detrimental effects on your body and brain. Our expert sleep apnea dentist Dr. Garceau can help Connecticut patients in the Bloomfield, Grandby, Simsbury, Hartford, and surrounding areas treat their sleep apnea and improve the quality of their sleep.
The Importance of Sleep
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep condition that leads not only to sleep deprivation, but also to oxygen deprivation, which is why professional intervention from an experienced sleep apnea dentist like Dr. Garceau is essential. Sleep is an incredibly essential yet complex process we all experience. Waking up refreshed and energized can make all the difference in how your day goes, your ability to accomplish goals, and how you feel overall.
When you suffer from sleep apnea, your brain isn’t getting the oxygen it needs. Oxygen is needed for your brain to metabolize glucose, which is needed to support all the functions of the body. Prolonged oxygen deprivation can even lead to permanent damage to the brain, which is why untreated sleep apnea is particularly dangerous.
When we sleep, our body has a chance to rest while our brains carry out a multitude of functions that impact every aspect of our health and being. When our sleep is negatively impacted, our mental and physical functioning can also be at risk. The longer we go without high-quality sleep, the more detrimental these effects can become. Sleep deprivation can increase your risk of chronic diseases, lower sex drive, and even mood disorders.
How Untreated Sleep Apnea Impacts Your Quality of Life
Untreated sleep apnea can impact interpersonal relationships as well as your mental and physical wellbeing:
Your Relationships
The effects of sleep apnea don’t end with the patient — it can also negatively impact those in their interpersonal circle. Snoring can be incredibly disruptive to your sleeping partner, which can lead to sleep deprivation and increased risks of diseases, illnesses, and mood disorders.
Sleep apnea can also impact your mood, focus, and attention, which can strain professional and personal relationships. When you get the quality rest you need, you can be more present and attentive to the important people in your life.
The Connection Between Sleep Apnea & ADHD
While modern research agrees there’s a complex relationship between sleep apnea and ADHD, it’s unclear which causes the other. Patients who suffer from sleep apnea will often feel irritable, unmotivated, and tired during the day due to the cognitive effects that sleep apnea and oxygen deprivation bring about. These symptoms are also common with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) which is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can impact patients in a variety of ways.
Undergoing a sleep study can confirm whether your symptoms are a result of sleep apnea or ADHD. If your sleep study confirms you struggle with sleep apnea, Dr. Garceau can offer effective treatment to alleviate your symptoms.
Your Mental Health
During sleep, your brain has a chance to repair itself, process memories, and essential reset for the upcoming day. When you suffer from sleep apnea, your brain is deprived of the oxygen needed for that process. Symptoms of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety often overlap with sleep apnea, worsening the effects of these conditions. Obtaining a proper sleep apnea diagnosis can make all the difference in your mental health.
The Connection Between Sleep Apnea & Pregnancy
If you’re pregnant and suffer from sleep apnea, it can lead to complications for both you and your future baby. Pregnant patients are also at a higher risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea due to hormonal changes and elevated levels of estrogen. Seeking proper treatment for sleep apnea can be an easy, comfortable way to protect you and your child from the detrimental effects of this serious condition.
Your Child
Sleep is an essential part of helping children grow and develop properly, and children require much more sleep than adults. Children can be even more sensitive to sleep apnea than adults, and, when their sleep is interrupted, their physical and mental health can be negatively affected.
The effects of low sleep quality can manifest as behavior problems, which is why they’re oftentimes misdiagnosed with issues such as ADHD. Getting a proper diagnosis and effective treatment can help support your child’s sleep and health.
Mouth & Throat Exercises
While oral appliances are an effective, comfortable way to remove obstruction so that you can breathe properly during sleep, Dr. Garceau may also recommend various, easy-to-execute exercises that can help lessen your sleep apnea symptoms.
Treating Sleep Apnea
If you suffer from sleep apnea, a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine is the typical treatment. This device delivers a stream of air through a mask during sleep, which keeps your airway open so you can breathe easily. While this treatment can be incredibly effective in managing all types of sleep apnea, many patients find it uncomfortable, bulky, and loud. These inconveniences often cause many patients to avoid their treatment, which can be detrimental to their health.
At the office of Roberta Garceau, we can provide you with an effective, quiet, and comfortable oral appliance. Your appliance will be personalized for a superior fit that works to remove the obstruction effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of sleep apnea are there?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep condition that results in the body’s inability to breathe properly during sleep. The cause of why this happens can be categorized in three ways:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)— The tissues of the mouth and throat over-relax and result in your airway being blocked. This type of sleep apnea is the easiest to treat as symptoms are resolved with the removal of the obstruction during sleep.
- Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) —This type of sleep apnea is far less common and cannot be treated by a dentist as it often results from an underlying issue. If you suffer from this form of sleep apnea, the brain has trouble communicating the signal to breathe to the body. Treatments are typically administered by a specialist and geared toward treating the underlying issue so that the sleep apnea symptoms will subside.
- Mixed or Complex Sleep Apnea (MSA)— For patients that exhibit symptoms from the other forms of sleep apnea, you may be diagnosed with mixed or complex sleep apnea. Treatment may involve a variety of methods to treat the underlying condition while preventing the obstruction of the throat.
Can sleep apnea go away on its own?
Unfortunately, sleep apnea requires professional intervention. While things like weight loss and sleep position therapy can help lessen your symptoms, working with a sleep apnea dentist like Dr. Garceau will help you get the sleep you deserve. Fortunately, treatment is easier and less invasive than ever with our convenient oral appliances.
Explore Treatment with Dr. Garceau Today
Sleep apnea can wreak havoc on many areas of your life and impact not only yourself but also those around you if left untreated. Dr. Garceau is a qualified sleep apnea dentist who offers a simple, comfortable solution for your sleepless nights.
Our expert dental team can help Connecticut patients in the Bloomfield, Grandby, Simsbury, Hartford, and surrounding areas get a better night’s sleep. If you think you’re suffering from sleep apnea, give us a call at (860) 254-6189 or click the button to the right to schedule your consultation with Dr. Garceau.