Is being tired in the morning a normal occurrence? Are you struggling to focus at home or work? Do you feel like there’s nothing you can do to break the cycle? You may not realize that sleep apnea might be to blame. Not getting enough rest each night not only keeps you from being productive each day but also puts your overall health at risk. Keep reading to discover the consequences of untreated sleep apnea and when to seek professional help.
What Can Happen When You Fail to Treat Sleep Apnea?
The most obvious problem may be that you feel tired each day, but bigger problems exist – ones that can put your life in danger. For example, if you fail to seek treatment for sleep apnea, you might:
- Develop High Blood Pressure: Each time your body becomes stressed because of your inability to breathe, your blood pressure rises while the oxygen in your blood drops.
- Cause a Serious Car Accident: Drowsy driving contributes to countless accidents and fatalities each year. Not getting enough rest can cause you to fall asleep behind the wheel, putting your life and another person’s in danger.
- Develop Heart Disease: A heart attack can occur if you have sleep apnea because of your body’s inability to receive oxygen throughout the night. This can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or atrial fibrillation.
- Insulin Resistance: The body struggles to process insulin properly, raising blood sugar levels and increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
- Suffer From Depression: When you cannot achieve sufficient sleep, you may become depressed because of how it makes you feel. This can become a vicious cycle because you may struggle to fall asleep if you cannot control what you’re thinking.
- Cognitive and Mood Changes: Low oxygen and lack of deep sleep contribute to memory problems, morning headaches, irritability, anxiety, and depression.
When Should You See a Sleep Apnea Specialist?
The moment you notice excessive daily fatigue, forgetfulness, moodiness, depression, or waking up coughing throughout the night, don’t wait to schedule an appointment with a sleep apnea specialist. This conversation will cover your overall health, current symptoms, and next steps, which often include a sleep study.
If you are formally diagnosed with sleep apnea, your dentist can discuss treatment options, such as oral appliance therapy, to help you breathe better and get much-needed rest each night.
Seeking treatment early increases your chances of a positive outcome, so you can stop suffering in silence and start taking better care of yourself.
About the Author
Dr. Joanne Bancroft is a sleep apnea specialist committed to helping patients achieve better rest and enjoy life without constant fatigue. She offers oral appliance therapy as an alternative to CPAP, as it is often considered more comfortable and user-friendly among patients. If you struggle to breathe at night and wake up tired, contact us at (720) 458-6561 to schedule an appointment!