Sleep apnea is a condition that causes your body to not get the oxygen it needs to function properly. Without enough oxygen, you end up feeling drained and sluggish. As everything takes place durian sleep, most people don’t even realize they suffer from sleep apnea.
How Does Sleep Apnea Impact Health?
If not addressed and treated on time, sleep apnea may be the cause of many problems such as high blood pressure, stroke, headache, mood swings, diabetes, depression, and heart failure. If you have ADHD, sleep apnea can worsen your condition.
How Does Sleep Apnea Affect Life?
Without enough oxygen, you may not feel energetic enough to function normally. This condition can affect your personal and work life, as it causes you to feel tired even after performing mundane daily activities. Overall, sleep apnea diminishes your quality of life.
How Are Other Sleep Disorders Different from Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea makes it difficult for you to breathe when you are asleep. Therefore, your body doesn’t get enough oxygen to function at an optimal level.
On the other hand, other sleep disorders have different symptoms:Â
- Insomnia is a condition that causes you to not feel sleepy at all.Â
- Narcolepsy makes you feel exhausted to the extent that you fall asleep suddenly.Â
- Restless leg syndrome is common among pregnant women, causing their legs to move throughout the night.
- Jet lag happens as a result of long-distance travel. If your body doesn’t adopt the changing time zones properly, it affects your sleep quality at large.
- Snoring is another common sleep disorder, usually brought on by sleep apnea.
What Are the Different Types of Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
This condition occurs when your lower jawbone muscles are too weak to hold the jaw in place. It starts falling backward while you are asleep, making your tongue block the airway and causing breathing difficulties.
Central Sleep Apnea
In this case, your brain is responsible for sleep apnea. It fails to send signals to the muscles responsible for breathing. Consequently, your body fails to respond.
What Is the Treatment of Sleep Apnea?
We use non-invasive treatments to treat sleep apnea. One option is a removable oral appliance that you can adjust according to the shape and size of your mouth. We may also suggest using a CPAP machine to get a constant supply of oxygen while you sleep.
Reach out to Alencar Family Dentistry in Chesapeake, VA, to learn more about sleep apnea and treatment options and schedule a consultation with Dr. O. You can call us at (757) 546-0301, book your consultation online, or visit us at 711 Greenbrier Pkwy Suite 101, Chesapeake, VA 23320.Â
