Sleep Apnea Treatment

If you have sleep apnea, you should know you are not alone. Upwards of 20 million people in the United States are plagued by this disorder. Unfortunately, a considerable number of these patients are not diagnosed. In some cases, the sleep apnea symptoms are mild to the point that it is difficult to even notice the disorder in the first place. If you are even slightly suspicious you might have sleep apnea, you should ask for help. Sleep apnea treatment has the potential to improve your life in countless ways.

Feel Awake and Refreshed

Sleep apnea does more than merely cause those annoying snoring sounds; it dramatically reduces the quality of your sleep. Apnea events prevent oxygen from moving throughout the body as it should. Relaxed tissues within the upper respiratory system block oxygen from entering the lungs, forcing the brain to wake from sleep to communicate to the body that more respiration is necessary to open the airway. If your brain wakes multiple times during an hour of sleep, your rest will prove insufficient. If the brain is constantly distracted, it will not allow for smooth airflow. Rather, the brain should spend more time in the deep REM (random eye movement) stage of sleep. If the brain does not achieve and sustain REM during sleep, it will not be able to perform its nightly work. The end result will be a feeling of overwhelming fatigue the next day.

Unfortunately, most sleep apnea sufferers reach the point where they feel excessively fatigued. Drowsiness and a lack of energy become the new normal. Opt for sleep apnea treatment and you will no longer feel so tired during the day. Your work performance will improve. You will feel energetic when playing with your kids, participating in sports or simply socializing with others.

Avoid Those Morning Headaches

Morning headaches are one of the most common sleep apnea symptoms. The failure to breathe properly when sleeping hikes carbon dioxide levels in the blood while decreasing oxygen levels. An elevated amount of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream spurs blood vessel dilation. Dilated blood vessels in the brain can dilate to the point that vascular headaches occur. Though vascular headaches typically dissipate within an hour or so of waking as regular breathing restores the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels back to normal, you can avoid this stress in the first place with sleep apnea treatment. This treatment allows for proper breathing throughout the night that makes you feel energized and mentally clear in the morning.

Improve Your Sleep

Sleep apnea sufferers are plagued by restless sleep. Whether it is waking to use the bathroom, tossing and turning or intermittent sleep, sleep apnea patients find it difficult to reach and maintain the coveted REM sleep. Each time you partially or fully wake from sleep, you are reducing your quality of sleep. It will take that much longer to re-establish the sleep stage necessary for true rest if you are constantly getting up during the night. Even turning on the light or checking your smartphone will alter melatonin production as the brain links light with the daytime, making it that much more challenging to return to sleep. Opt for sleep apnea treatment and you will find you no longer wake as frequently during the night. You will finally enjoy the complete rest you need to be your true self.

Sleep Apnea Treatment Improves Your Long-term Health

Numerous studies have shown untreated sleep apnea leads to myriad medical issues and illnesses. Sleep apnea sufferers are more prone to heightened blood pressure, heart disease, heart failure, heart arrhythmias, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. Sleep apnea spikes the blood pressure at night as the brain prioritizes moving oxygen-loaded blood cells to the appropriate places. If the breathing process is obstructed, it communicates to the brain that it has to boost blood flow with a constriction of blood vessels that allow for continuous functionality. Unfortunately, such mechanisms find it difficult to shut off when you are awake, spiking the blood pressure even in the middle of the day. This predicament is completely avoidable if you are willing to try sleep apnea treatment.

Studies indicate those who have their sleep apnea treated enjoy decreased blood pressure along with a lower chance of cardiac issues as well as death. So don't assume shortchanging yourself of quality sleep merely impacts your rest for the next day; the lack of high-quality sleep has the potential to jeopardize your health over the long haul as well.

Reduce the Chances of a Painful or Deadly Injury

Insufficient sleep will compromise your work performance as well as your driving performance. Poor sleep really does cause attention lapses and drowsiness that have the potential to end your life or compromise the well-being of others. Have your sleep apnea treated and you won't put yourself or others at risk while driving or operating machinery.

Consider Your Partner's Sleep Quality

Even if you do not mind low-quality sleep, there is a good chance your sleep apnea is disturbing your partner. If you get up more than once in the middle of the night, you will wake your partner. Furthermore, sleep apnea sufferers often endure extended pauses in breathing and gasping/choking sounds that occur when breathing re-starts. Do not put your loved one in such a situation. Obtain treatment for your sleep apnea and you really will improve the sleep quality of your significant other.

In fact, the peace of mind your partner enjoys resulting from your proactive approach to treating this problem will enhance his or her sleep quality. The moral of the story is sleep apnea is the type of problem that can harm others. Consider the needs and desires of your loved ones, ask for treatment and you will do your bed-mate a monumental favor.

At Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics, help is available. If you are struggling with sleep apnea, reach out to our team at (509) 796-0885 to learn more about sleep apnea treatment and schedule an appointment today.