Why Sleep Apnea Shouldn’t Be Ignored
You’re struggling day in and day out to stay awake and alert.
That’s because you’re not getting enough sleep.
A day of fatigue here and there isn’t a reason for alarm, but if this is how you feel nearly every day, it could mean you have sleep apnea.
This is a condition where your airways get blocked while you sleep, and you suffer up to a couple of hundred briefs, but terrifying, episodes throughout the night fighting to breathe.
You can find ways to overcome sleep apnea at Matthew J. Cavendish, DDS PLLC in Phoenix, AZ!
Why Sleep Apnea Shouldn’t Be Ignored
You might think that your loud snoring is simply an embarrassing quirk, one that disrupts your family’s sleep more than your own.
But snoring loudly every night could be a symptom of something far more dangerous.
Sleep apnea will often reveal itself first through chronic loud snoring, which means you shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking your snoring isn’t a big deal.
Here are several reasons you shouldn’t ignore the signs of sleep apnea!
High Blood Pressure
When your body is under stress, asleep or awake, it puts undue strain on your heart. And since sleep apnea is a condition that deprives your body of oxygen, you can bet your heart is working way too hard as a result!
This is not only bad for your heart, but your circulatory system. While your heart is working harder and beating faster to pump blood to your entire body, the effort to spread that little bit of oxygen you have will make your blood pressure skyrocket.
Weight Gain
Your nightly sleep is one of the necessities of overall wellness.
It’s what gives your brain and all-important systemic functions to get the rest and rejuvenation they need to work properly.
So naturally, lack of rest will inhibit your body’s ability to send the right messages to all your mechanisms, including the one that signals it’s time to eat.
The imbalance here will lead to weight gain, something that, unfortunately, will only worsen your sleep apnea troubles.
Heart Disease
Without enough oxygen, your heart will be underway too much stress. It will have to work extra hard night after night trying to distribute enough oxygen to the rest of your body.
This can lead to heart disease, a serious danger to your health and one of the leading causes of death in this country.
Unpredictable Mood Swings
We all get a little cranky for lack of adequate sleep from time to time.
But chronic sleep deprivation will make you moody, irritable, and depressed on a nearly constant basis.
It’s important to note that some studies have shown that almost 80% of disease can be traced back to chronic depression, which will only compound your health risks if you don’t find an effective treatment for your sleep disorder.
Diabetes
This sleep condition is even capable of hindering your body’s ability to produce enough insulin to transport glucose from your blood to the cells throughout your body.
That’s why research shows a connection between type II diabetes and sleep apnea. What’s more is that diabetes has also been linked to gum disease, which would only pile on another serious health condition for you.
Increased Risk For Accidents
Your daily commute to and from work under the exhausting effects of sleep apnea will make you more prone to car accidents.
Even if you have a relatively short, easy commute, you still don’t want to risk dozing at the wheel.
Being drowsy while driving not only puts you in danger but everyone else on the road, as well. And just think about how impaired driving will put your most precious cargo in danger, your spouse and your children.
Impaired Concentration
Not only do you want to avoid the health dangers of sleep apnea, but you also want to be able to focus at work.
Lack of sleep ultimately impairing your concentration, which can lead to careless mistakes and poor job performance. If you have a particularly dangerous job, you can even put your safety and the safety of others at risk, too.
Schedule Your Treatment Today!
If you assume that your snoring is simply an annoying problem, you could be putting your health at risk.
The only way to make sure your loud snoring isn’t related to sleep apnea and avoiding all the health risks it poses is to let our team at Matthew J. Cavendish, DDS give you an evaluation.
We’ll provide solutions to your snoring and sleep apnea so you can rest well and enjoy the summer season with energy, health, and vitality!
Call our Phoenix, AZ dental office today at 602-835-1304 or fill out our online form to schedule your next appointment.