When you have sleep apnea, it becomes nearly impossible for you to achieve the deep levels of sleep you need to rest and recuperate properly. That’s because sleep apnea is a condition that causes you to repeatedly stop breathing in your sleep, which constantly interrupts your sleep pattern throughout the night. At our Baxter, MN, dental office, we can often help patients find relief from the symptoms of sleep apnea and achieve the deep, restful sleep they need with the help of a custom-designed sleep appliance.
It’s all about your sleep breathing habit
Sleep apnea, or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is technically sleep breathing disorder. That means it mainly affects your breathing and the structures that affect it while you sleep. For example, in patients with sleep apnea, certain oral and throat tissues may collapse into the airway, blocking it until they can no longer breathe. To properly address sleep apnea, we address the causes that lead to interrupted breathing and sleep.
It isn’t as obvious as you might think
The thought of not breathing in your sleep can be unsettling, but it can also seem as though you would notice it if it happened. Unfortunately, that’s not usually the case. As your oral tissues obstruct your airway more and more, you’ll snore increasingly louder, and then stop once the airway is blocked completely. Before long, your body and brain will wake up enough to clear the airway and start breathing again. Yet, most patients are unaware of these interruptions and believe that they’re sleeping soundly throughout the night.
It can have long-lasting consequences
The longer sleep apnea is allowed to affect your quality of sleep, the greater effect it can have on your overall wellbeing. For example, the inability to fall into deep, R.E.M. sleep will lead to chronic sleep deprivation, which can affect your systemic health, your immune system, your mental health, and much more. The reduced amount of oxygen that you receive every night can also impact your long-term cardiovascular health, increasing your risks of conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and more.
Learn more about how to deal with sleep apnea
If you experience sleep apnea, then dealing with it as soon as possible is the best way to avoid some of its more serious consequences. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, call Greenhaven Family Dental in Baxter, MN at (218) 454-0523.