Why Should You Seek Help For Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects millions of adults in America. The condition causes people to stop breathing temporarily when they are asleep because their airway gets blocked, preventing them from getting a good night’s rest. Due to the lack of sleep, people who suffer from sleep apnea have trouble staying awake during the day, which has a negative impact on their health.
Six reasons why you should seek help for your sleep apnea
Some of the reasons people that have been diagnosed with sleep apnea need to treat the disorder include:
1. Being energized during the day
Sleep apnea forces people to wake up multiple times while they are asleep to resume breathing, which leaves them fatigued during the day. In some cases, the fatigue could endanger their lives and the lives of others if they operate heavy machinery at work. It can cause serious injury or death if they fall asleep while driving. Treating the sleep apnea will allow the patient to get adequate rest at night and leave them feeling energized during the day.
2. Better performance at work/school
The lack of adequate sleep leads to trouble concentrating and memory problems, which affects the patient’s ability to focus at work or at school, negatively affecting their productivity and performance. Treating the disorder allows the patient’s brain to rest while they sleep instead of being distracted with continuously waking them up to breath, which improves their performance at work or at school.
3. Protecting long-term health
Studies have shown that untreated sleep apnea can cause significant health problems, which include:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Heart failure
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, studies show that people with moderate or severe sleep apnea are four times more likely to die, nearly four times more likely to have a stroke and three times more likely to die from cancer.
4. Avoiding headaches
One of the most common symptoms people with sleep apnea deal with are headaches in the morning. The headaches occur because of the failure to breathe while sleeping increases the carbon dioxide levels in the blood while reducing the oxygen levels. This causes the blood vessels to dilate, causing vascular headaches. The headaches are usually gone about an hour after the patient wakes up because regular breathing returns the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels to normal.
5. Uninterrupted sleep
Sleep apnea prevents people from sleeping peacefully, making them irritable and tired during the day. Treating the disorder significantly reduces the number of nocturnal awakenings they experience, allowing them to get the rest that they need.
6. Partner’s sleep health
A person dealing with sleep apnea is not the only one affected by the disorder. Their partner also has to deal with the loud snoring and interrupted sleep, which also prevents them from getting the rest that they need. Treating the disorder improves the quality of sleep for both the patient and their partner.
Conclusion
Sleep apnea can lead to significant health problems if left untreated, which is why people who have the disorder are advised to get treatment. If you have trouble sleeping and think you have sleep apnea, schedule an appointment with your doctor to get checked out.
Request an appointment here: or call All Brite Dental at (313) 562-3388 for an appointment in our Dearborn Dentistry.