Albertville, AL
Staying in good health not only includes eating right and staying active, but it’s also incredibly important to get the proper amount of sleep. Your ability to function throughout your day will be affected if you don’t get enough quality rest. Over an extended period of time, bad sleep can result in bad mood, health and daily performance–and those are just a few of the consequences. In this article, your sleep apnea dentist in Albertville at Wall Street Dentistry explores the dangers of sleep loss
What causes sleep loss?
Plenty of people have trouble sleeping for a myriad of reasons: a hectic work schedule, small children or other distracting life elements. Sometimes, your sleep may suffer from something a little more serious, such as a sleep breathing disorder. This refers to any ailment that affects your ability to maintain an open and fully functional airway during sleep.
One of the most serious and most common sleep breathing disorders is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If you have OSA, the soft tissue in your airway collapses while you sleep and causes a full or partial block of your airway. As oxygen levels decrease, your brain and body reacts with a fight-or-flight response, as if you are choking to death. Normal breathing resumes, but you are brought out of the sleep cycle for this to happen–even if you don’t consciously wake up. For someone with severe, untreated sleep apnea, these blockages occur up to hundreds of times per night, preventing your body from entering into REM sleep and getting real rest.
What are the consequences of sleep loss?
Consistent sleep loss over time negatively affects multiple facets of your overall health, mood and behavior. After a little while of losing out on vital rest, you will become irritable and short tempered.
Some other short-term consequences of sleep loss include:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Poor judgment
- Weight gain
- Difficulty enjoying your favorite activities
After prolonged sleep loss, long-term consequences may include:
- Memory loss or cognitive decline
- Chronic fatigue
- Depression
- Obesity
- Overall decline in physical health
- Loss of libido
Patients with undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea also face a significantly higher risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.
How can my dentist help with sleep apnea?
Some dental practices, including Wall Street Dentistry, specialize in sleep apnea dentistry. These dentists focus on diagnosing and treating sleep apnea by addressing the root of the problem: the cause of the airway blockage that prevents you from getting useful rest.
Only a sleep specialist can diagnose sleep apnea. A dentist trained in airway management can conduct an airway evaluation, and then refer you to a qualified specialist. And if you’ve received a diagnosis of sleep apnea, you can visit your Guntersville sleep apnea dentist to receive treatment.
How is sleep apnea treated?
Once a sleep breathing disorder is identified, we can fit the patient with an oral appliance to treat the disorder. This oral appliance is a custom mouthpiece that re-positions your jaws to encourage the ideal resting position and maintain an open airway. Oral appliances are far more convenient and comfortable than a CPAP machine, with a higher compliance rate.
Sleep apnea dentistry in Albertville, Boaz and Guntersville in Alabama
Without proper treatment for your OSA, you will continue to suffer the effects of your disorder. Otherwise, your sleep apnea only will get worse and have greater effects on your life. If you feel that you suffer from chronic fatigue or snore heavily, a sleep breathing disorder could be the cause. At Wall Street Dentistry, we have a committed team that is prepared to help you solve your sleep apnea issues. Visit us online or give us a call at (256) 878-0525 to schedule your consultation today.