Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley CA
You forgot to sign your kid’s homework. You forgot about that important work deadline. Nowadays, it seems like you are forgetting everything. If this sounds familiar to you, don’t just assume you are forgetful because you have too much on your plate. Instead, a lack of quality sleep could be the reason behind your forgetfulness.
Drs. Max Ebrahimian and Arianna Ebrahimian, dentists in Scotts Valley that manage sleep apnea, want you to know how treating this common sleep-breathing disorder could improve your brain function.
First, let’s take a look at sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a sleep-breathing disorder that involves a partially or entirely blocked airway while sleeping. This means that airflow is restricted or cut off completely, depriving the body and brain of necessary oxygen that it needs. As a result, sleep apnea sufferers often snore or gasp for air while sleeping. You may not even be aware that you have his disorder, except that you experience symptoms such as daytime fatigue, forgetfulness, headaches, and mood swings.
How sleep apnea affects the brain
When the body is deprived of oxygen while sleeping, the brain responds by waking up out the deep stage of the sleep cycle known as R.E.M. sleep. The brain signals the body to breathe again. These apneic episodes can occur as many as 10 to 100 or more times per hour! Just imagine, an untreated sleep-breathing disorder may be the reason behind your constant fatigue and forgetfulness. The problem is that many people dealing with OSA aren’t aware of it, which means a sleep apnea screening in Los Gatos is the best way to determine for sure whether you have sleep apnea.
How does sleep apnea affect my memory?
For our bodies to thrive and be healthy, they require food, water, air, and sleep. You probably never would deprive your body of food or water, but you might be depriving your body of air and sleep without even knowing it. We understand that these days, us adults have more responsibilities than we know what to do with. Time is a commodity, and there never seems to be enough hours in the day. While not getting enough hours of sleep each night is already a problem among many Americans, those dealing with sleep apnea have it even worse. Even if you think that you are getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night, the number of hours you’re actually getting may be significantly less. And, as a result, being tired all of the time makes it hard to remember things, even the important stuff.
Here’s how to tell if you have sleep apnea
Aside from snoring, some other major warning signs point to sleep apnea. If you experience any of these, schedule a sleep apnea screening with a dentist in Scotts Valley, such as the doctors at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry.
- You miss important meetings or deadlines at work
- You’re always forgetting where you put things (keys, purse, or wallet)
- Everyone else seems to be reminding you of things all of the time
While sleep apnea could be the cause of your forgetfulness, we aren’t claiming that it will get you out of having forgotten your anniversary! But seriously, if you feel like you’re forgetting everything all of the time, it may be time for a sleep apnea screening.
Sleep Apnea Treatment, Los Gatos and Scotts Valley
At Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry, we can screen for sleep apnea, and provide a comfortable solution that doesn’t involve using a CPAP machine every night! To learn more or to schedule your screening today, contact our office or call (831) 438-4411.