Many people think of sleep apnea as a simple inconvenience. Sleep apnea disrupts your sleep cycle, and can cause patients to snore severely. But sleep apnea isn’t only an inconvenience; it can actually damage your whole-body health if left untreated. Our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentists encourage you to seek treatment for sleep apnea problems as soon as you notice them—the sooner you seek treatment, the less likely it is that you’ll suffer from these long-term sleep apnea-related problems.
Cardiovascular problems
If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, your airway is essentially blocked throughout the night as you sleep. This means that your body isn’t getting as much oxygen as it needs to function optimally. As the oxygen levels in your blood dip during the night, it puts strain on your heart and cardiovascular system as whole. Over time this can contribute to heart problems and elevated blood pressure. Effective sleep apnea treatment helps you maintain an open airway and get the oxygen you need.
Fatigue
Fluctuating oxygen levels cause your body to restart its breathing throughout the night, disrupting your healthy sleep cycle. This is why sleep apnea patients wake feeling groggy and poorly rested. Over time this chronic fatigue can lead to memory and decision making impairment. Untreated exhaustion also causes disruptive and debilitating headaches.
Depression and mood problems
Many patients suffering from sleep apnea also report that they experience dramatic mood swings and depression. Lack of sleep certainly exacerbates these conditions and makes them more difficult to treat,
The good news is that effective and timely sleep apnea treatment can help you avoid these serious complications. Give our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentists a call to get started on your path to a healthy night’s sleep. Our dentists are your partners in health—we’ll give you the support you need.