How Does Sleep Apnea Affect Your Life?
There are many ways sleep apnea can affect your overall life beyond snoring at night and feeling tired during the day.
In this blog, we outline the different effects of sleep apnea on your body and life.
How does sleep apnea affect your life?
1. Irregular sleep schedules may increase your risk of metabolic disorders
The Houston Chronicle… Opens a new window to the Houston Chronicle website… reported a study, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, that indicates:
“Each hour that bedtime and sleep duration varies can create as much as a 27 percent increased risk of a metabolic disorder.”
In conclusion, if sleep apnea is affecting your sleep cycle, you may be more susceptible to metabolic abnormalities.
2. Obstructive sleep apnea is becoming more common
In a New York Times personal health column… Opens a new window to the New York Times website… , Jane E. Brody writes that obstructive sleep apnea:
“Is on the rise because the most frequent cause is obesity, which continues its unrelenting climb among American adults.”
She adds that obstructive sleep apnea affects approximately 9 percent of women and 24 percent of men. Most of these cases are middle-aged or older adults.
As many as 9 out of 10 adults with the condition remain undiagnosed.
3. You may have a higher risk for Type 2 Diabetes
Healio… Opens a new window to the Healio website… reports researchers found:
“Patients with untreated moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea were at higher risk for incident type 2 diabetes…”
4. Treating children’s sleep apnea may lower the risk of accidents with oncoming vehicles
Reuters… Opens a new window to the Reuters website… reported a study that suggests children:
“With obstructive sleep apnea may be at lower risk of accidents with oncoming vehicles during the day if they use positive airway pressure, or PAP, therapy at night.”
Notably, the study’s authors also report that children must continually use the PAP treatment plan for the difference to take effect.
Senior study author, David Schwebel, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham said,
“Sleep disorders have real-world consequences, even life-and-death consequences. Someone tired, whether a child or an adult, simply does not function the same way they do when they are rested.”
How do you know if you have sleep apnea?
Learn more about sleep apnea from the American Dental Association… Opens a new window to the American Dental Association website… .
If you or a loved one show signs or have been diagnosed, we can help treat your sleep apnea.
If sleep apnea affects your life, contact us
Dr. Bradley Olson is the best cosmetic and implant dentist in Waldorf, MD. He has years of experience in making sure your smile not only look goods but also functions properly, which is a key role in helping treat sleep apnea.
Contact our office to set up a consultation:
We offer dental care in Waldorf, MD, and surrounding communities of La Plata, Mechanicsville, White Plains, Hughesville, Charlotte Hall, Upper Marlboro, and Accokeek.
