Sleep apnea leads to breathing pauses during sleep. When this occurs, the body is forced to wake up momentarily to restore breathing. These interruptions prevent you from getting quality sleep, and it can lead to you feeling fatigued during the day.
Sleep apnea does a lot more damage than simply ruining your sleep. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. It hinders a person’s ability to concentrate or remember things. The condition can have a significant impact on how well a person learns, their schooling, and personal relationships.
Sleep apnea occurs when a person’s airway collapses or becomes blocked as they sleep. These interruptions often lead to breathing being restored with a loud snore or the body jerking. People with mild to moderate sleep apnea can have over a hundred of these interruptions each night.
Here are some of the ways sleep apnea can affect your overall health:
Obstructive sleep apnea makes a person more likely to have issues with insulin resistance. This is a condition that involves cells not responding well to insulin. The body not being able to process insulin normally can lead to a rise in blood sugar levels. That leaves them more vulnerable to Type 2 diabetes.
Sleep apnea deprives your body of the crucial oxygen it needs during sleep. This can worsen the symptoms of chronic health issues like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Being sleep deprived leads to a lack of energy, shortness of breath, and difficulty exercising.
Sleep apnea is also linked to heart disease, high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure. It can lead to weight gain.
People with sleep apnea or more likely to produce abnormally high levels of liver enzymes, and they are more likely to develop fatty liver disease. OSA can also lead to liver scarring. It typically worsens symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux diseases like heartburn. That makes it even harder for the person to get a good night's rest
Central sleep apnea is caused by the brain failing to send the proper signals to the respiratory system. This type of sleep apnea can lead to neurological symptoms like tingling and numbness.
OSA has been linked to high blood pressure and obesity. Both conditions put increased strain on a person's heart. Sleep apnea can also lead to abnormal heart rhythm. This increases the person's chance of suffering a stroke.
Sleep apnea can lower a man's desire to have sex, and it can also worsen erectile dysfunction.
Sleep apnea makes it harder to get quality sleep at night, but it can be managed with treatments like oral appliances, CPAP machines, and lifestyle changes. When was the last time you woke up feeling refreshed? Call our Centerville office to set up an appointment with our dentist.
Request an appointment here: https://www.paulhuffakerdmd.com or call Paul M. Huffaker, DMD at (385) 249-5187 for an appointment in our Centerville office.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Do I Have Sleep Apnea in Centerville, UT.
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