It seems like almost everyone snores and rarely do we come across a person who does not make some sort of noise while sleeping. Snoring is common in most people and usually the condition is not one to worry about. However, as studies continue, more and more people who snore are being diagnosed with sleep apnea. In fact, snoring is the primary indicator that you may be suffering from sleep apnea, a condition that can be deadly.
Untreated sleep apnea has been linked to a variety of health problems, including conditions that affect the cardiovascular system. Patients who have sleep apnea experience periods of non-breathing hundreds of times throughout the night. In fact, sleep apnea sufferers may stop breathing 60-100 times each hour. During these periods no oxygen is being added to the blood and carbon dioxide is building up in the body. When this happens, the body sends signals to the brain that then raises the level of stress hormones. This increase causes the heart to work harder than it needs to, which takes its toll on the heart and circulatory system as it occurs night after night.
When the heart is continuously overworked, the body is more vulnerable to a heart attack as well as stroke. After a 9-year long study that followed 9,000 sleep apneics without any type of cardiovascular disease, the findings were shocking. Men within the study were at a three times higher chance of suffering from a stroke, a risk that was linked to their sleep apnea. The study now hopes to determine whether or not sleep apnea treatment, such as CPAP, can lessen one’s chance of having another heart attack or stroke.
Not only does sleep apnea treatment address the condition at hand, it also ensures that your overall health is better preserved and that your heart isn’t overworked. Untreated sleep apnea can cause all sorts of health conditions that can easily shorten one’s life. Stroke is just one example of what untreated sleep apnea can cause. If you snore at night and find that other symptoms such as daytime sleepiness, restlessness, and a lack of concentration have become part of your life, you may be suffering from sleep apnea.
If you believe you may be suffering from sleep apnea, don’t wait any longer to address the problem. Sleep apnea is a serious sleeping disorder that can shorten your life! We will work with you to find the most efficient sleep apnea treatment for you. Most patients can’t tolerate CPAP treatment so we provide a much more comfortable alternative in oral appliance therapy that uses no hoses, masks or noisy machines at the bedside. Contact our office today!
