SCOTTS VALLEY, SANTA CRUZ CA
We’re all more conscious of our health these days. However, the harsh reality is that you will never be at your best, physically or mentally, without getting the proper amount of restful sleep. For people living with untreated sleep apnea, restful sleep is almost impossible. In this article, Dr. Max and Dr. Ariana will look at what it’s like to live with sleep apnea and share how our Scotts Valley sleep apnea dentists can help.
Sleep apnea means sleep loss
If you or someone you love has sleep apnea, here’s what happens during what we refer to as an apneic event:
- Your airway becomes blocked, either partially or totally, due to a collapse of soft tissue because the throat muscles are overly relaxed.
- Your airway then narrows or closes off altogether, disrupting airflow and lowering oxygen levels in your body
- The brain receives signals of this low oxygen, triggering
- your body to resume breathing and restore oxygen levels
Most people with sleep apnea never consciously wake up, although they might make choking or gasping sounds during an apneic event. Each time one of these attacks occurs, your body is not receiving the amount of oxygen it needs. Meanwhile, the sleep cycle is disrupted. That means you spend less time in the deepest stages of sleep, which are vital to restoring both the mind and the body.
For someone with untreated sleep apnea, these apneic events may happen hundreds of times per night, every night. Imagine the consequences that have on your ability to get quality sleep!
Sleep loss can have serious consequences
We all experience a night of little to no sleep from time to time. Living with consistently poor sleep, or sleepless nights, or both, will have negative effects on you over time. Short-term, you may experience unexplainable mood swings or become more irritable. Your performance at work or school declines. You have trouble focusing and suffer from poor judgment.
The longer you live with sleep loss, it becomes sleep deprivation, and the problems magnify. Your risk for several serious health issues increases, and you could develop conditions that could hinder your quality of life or even shorten your life expectancy. Some examples include cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, and obesity. You also become more susceptible to heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
You can’t afford to ignore sleep apnea
If sleep apnea is the culprit behind your sleepless nights and groggy mornings, you owe it to yourself to seek help. Remember that sleep apnea is a serious medical condition. Just ignoring it and hoping it will go away will make the problem worse. You must receive diagnosis and treatment from qualified medical professionals. While only a sleep specialist can diagnose a case of sleep apnea, sleep apnea dentists like Drs. Max and Ariana at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry can help manage your sleep apnea through oral appliance therapy. The appliance is custom-made and worn at night while you sleep. It helps hold your jaw into the right position to facilitate an open airway and a restful night’s sleep.
Sleep Apnea Screening in Scotts Valley, Los Gatos, and Santa Cruz
Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep. Start getting the rest you’ve been denied. To seek help for your diagnosed sleep apnea, schedule a consultation at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry today by calling (831) 438-4411 if you live in the areas of Los Gatos, Santa Cruz, and Scotts Valley, California.
